E4.  Lib. 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


REPORT 


ELEMENTARY  PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION 


IN   EUROPE. 


REPORT 


ELEMENTARY  PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION 

I  \    EUROPE, 


HADE   TO    THE 


THIRTY-SIXTH  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY 


STATE  OF   OHIO, 

DECEMBER  19,  1837. 


BY  C.  E.  STOWE. 


RE-PRINTED  BY  ORDER  OF  THE  HOUSE  OP  REPRESENTATIVES 

OF   THE 

LEGISLATURE  OF  MASSACHUSETTS, 

MARCH  29,  1838. 


BOSTON: 

DUTTON  AND   WENTWORTH,   STATE    PRINTERS. 

1838. 


Edncation 


LA 

6Z4 


REPORT 


o» 


ELEMENTARY  PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION, 


To  His  Excellency  the  Governor,  and  the  Honorable  the   General 
•Assembly  of  the  State  of  Ohio  •: 

In  March,  1836,  just  before  I  embarked  for  Europe,  I  received 
a  communication  from  Governor  Lucas,  with  the  great  seal  of  the 
State,  enclosing  the  following  resolves  of  the  General  Assembly,  to 
wit : 

"  Resolved  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  That 
C.  E.  Stowe,  Professor  in  one  of  the  Literary  Institutions  of  this 
State,  be  requested  to  collect,  during  the  progress  of  his  contem- 
plated tour  in  Europe,  such  facts  and  information  as  he  may  deem 
useful  to  the  State,  in  relation  to  the  various  systems  of  public  in- 
struction and  education,  which  have  been  adopted  in  the  several 
countries  through  which  he  may  pass,  and  make  report  thereof,  with 
such  practical  observations  as  he  may  think  proper,  to  the  next  Gen- 
eral Assembly. 

"  Resolved,  That  His  Excellency  the  Governor  be  requested  to 
transmit  a  certified  copy  of  the  foregoing  proceedings  to  Professor 
Stowe." 

In  pursuance  of  the  above  resolutions,  I  communicated  the  inten- 
tion of  the  General  Assembly  to  Hon.  A.  Stevenson,  the  American 
Minister  near  the  British  Court,  and  he  very  readily  furnished  me 
with  the  credentials  necessary  for  the  most  satisfactory  attainment  of 
the  object  of  my  inquiries.  I  am  also  happy  to  remark,  that  the 


4  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.         March, 

communication  of  Governor  Lucas  was  a  ready  passport  to  my  free 
admission  to  every  public  institution  in  Europe  to  which  I  applied — 
and  that  my  endeavors  were  seconded  in  the  most  encouraging  man- 
ner by  all  the  gentlemen  connected  with  the  educational  establish- 
ments in  the  several  countries  through  which  I  passed  ;  and  the 
warmest  expressions  of  approbation  were  elicited  of  the  zeal  mani- 
fested by  so  young  a  state  as  Ohio,  in  the  great  cause  of  general 
education.  Particularly  in  some  of  the  old  communities  of  central 
Europe,  where  it  happened  to  be  known  that  I  was  bom  in  the  same 
year  in  which  Ohio  became  a  sovereign  State,  it  seemed  to  be  matter 
of  amusement  as  well  as  gratification,  that  a  man  who  \vasjust  as  old 
as  the  State  in  which  he  lived,  had  come  with  official  authority  to 
inquire  respecting  the  best  mode  of  education  for  the  growing  popu- 
lation of  his  native  land  ;  and  tliey  remarked,  that  our  Governor  and 
Legislators  must  be  very  enlightened  and  highly  cultivated  men. 
When  in  one  instance  I  informed  them  that  our  Governor  was  a  plain 
farmer,  and  that  a  majority  of  our  Legislators  were  of  the  same  oc- 
cupation, the  well  known  line  which  a  Latin  poet  applies  to  husband*- 
men  was  applied  to  us: 

"  O  fortunatos  nimium  si  sua  bona  norint." 
"  Oh  happy  people,  if  they  do  but  appreciate  their  own  blessings." 

In  the  progress  of  my  tour  I  visited  England,  Scotland,  France^ 
Prussia,  and  the  different  States  of  Germany  ;  and  had  opportunity 
to  see  the  celebrated  Universities  of  Cambridge,  Oxford,  Edinburg, 
Glasgow,  Paris,  Berlin,  Halle,  Leipsic,  Heidleberg,  and  some  oth- 
ers ;  and  I  was  everywhere  received  with  the  greatest  kindness,  and 
every  desirable  facility  was  afforded  me  for  the  promotion  of  my 
inquiries.  But  knowing  that  a  solid  foundation  must  be  laid  before  a 
durable  superstructure  can  be  reared,  and  being  aware  that,  on  this 
principle,  the  chief  attention  of  our  Legislature  is,  and  for  the  pres- 
ent must  be,  directed  to  our  common  schools,  my  investigation  of 
the  Universities  was  comparatively  brief — and  the  most  of  my  time 
Was  spent  in  visiting  the  best  district  schools  I  could  hear  of,  and 
also  the  high  schools  intended  for  the  business  education  of  young 
men,  and  the  institutions  for  the  education  of  teachers. 

Before  I  proceed  to  the  result  of  my  inquiries  on  these  topics,  I 


1838  HOUSE— No.  64.  5 

would  call  the  attention  of  the  Legislature  to  some  facts  of  a  more 
general  nature,  which  strongly  impressed  themselves  upon  my  mind 
during  the  progress  of  rny  tour — and  which,  it  seems  to  me,  have  a 
very  important  bearing  upon  the  successful  maintenance,  if  not  the 
very  existence,  of  free  institutions  in  our  country.     I  allude  particu- 
larly to  the  wonderful  change  which  has  taken  place  in  the  policy  of 
monarchial  governments  in  respect  to  ihe  education  of  the  people. 
Formerly  it  was  supposed  that  despotism  could  be  maintained  only 
by  a  sovereign  with  an  army  devoted  to  his  interests,  and  dependent 
only  upon  himself  for  subsistence  ;  an  aristocracy  which  should  mon- 
opolise the  wealth  and  the  intellectual  culture  of  the  entire  nation  ; 
and  a  mass  of  people  held  in  entire  ignorance  of  their  rights  and  priv- 
ileges as  men,  and  condemned  to  drudge  for  life  for  a  bare  and  preca- 
rious subsistence — the  mere  dependents  and  slaves  of  the  higher 
orders.     But  what  is  the  aspect  which  the  sovereignties  of  Europe 
now  present  ? — and  what  is  the  change  which  is  forcing  itself  along, 
even  into  the  despotisms  of  Asia  and  Africa  ?     Ever  since  the  revo- 
lution which  separated  this  country  from  the  British  Empire,  the  idea 
of  popular  rights  has  been  working  its  way  irresistibly  throughout  the 
civilized  world  :  and  sovereigns  who  have  had  the  sagacity  to  see 
the  unavoidable  results,  have  adapted  their  measures  to  the  new  as- 
pect of  the  times.     A  new  era  in  the  history  of  civilization  has  evi- 
dently commenced.     A  despotic  king  of  the  Protestant  faith,  dread- 
ing the  evils  of  an  ignorant  and   unbridled   democracy,  such  as  was 
witnessed   in  the   French  revolution,  has  now  for  forty  years  been 
pursuing  a  course  of  instruction  for  his  whole   people,  more  com- 
plete, better  adapted  to  develope  every  faculty  of  the  soul,  and  to 
bring  into  action,  every  capability  of  every  kind  that  may  exist,  even 
in  ihe  poorest  cottage  of  the  most  obscure  corner  of  his  kingdom, 
than  has  ever  before  been  imagined.     Men  of  the   highest  order  of 
intellect  and  most  extensive  attainments  are  encouraged   to  devote 
themselves  to  the  business  of  teaching:  the  best  plans  for  the  further- 
ance of  this  object  are  immediately  received  and  generously  reward- 
ed ;  talent  and  industry,  wherever  they  exist,  are  sought  out  and 
promoted  ;  and   nothing  is  left  undone   that  can  help  forward   this 
great  design. 

The  introduction  of  this  system  was  preceded  by  political  changes, 


6  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.        March, 

which,  considered  as  emanating  from  the  government  itself,  have 
scarcely  a  parallel  in  the  history  of  nations.  When  Frederick  Wil- 
liam III.  ascended  the  throne  of  Prussia  in  1797,  the  condition  of 
the  people  was  in  many  respects  truly  deplorable.  But  immediately 
upon  his  accession  he  set  about  reforming  abuses,  and  introducing 
improvements.  The  odious  religious  edict  was  abolished — the  ad- 
ministration of  justice  was  thoroughly  reformed,  and  rigid  economy 
introduced  into  the  royal  household.  The  exclusive  privileges  of 
the  nobles  were  taken  away,  and  their  power  so  completely  broken, 
that  there  is  now  no  hereditary  aristocracy  which  can  interfere  with 
the  sovereign,  or  oppress  the  people. 

In  1810,  the  peasantry,  who  before  had  no  ownership  in  the  soil 
which  they  cultivated,  and  consequently  no  independence  of  charac- 
ter, by  a  royal  decree,  became  freeholders  on  the  following  terms, 
namely  :  those  who  held  their  lands  on  perpetual  lease,  by  giving 
up  one-third,  and  those  who  held  them  on  limited  or  life  leases,  by 
giving  up  one-half,  to  the  landlord,  became  the  owners  in  fee  simple 
of  the  rest.  The  military  is  now  so  modelled  that  every  citizen 
between  the  ages  of  18  and  21  is  in  actual  service  in  the  standing 
army,  where  he  is  instructed  in  all  that  pertains  to  military  life,  and 
then  returns  to  his  peaceful  occupations.  Thus  the  army  is  made  up 
entirely  of  citizens — and  every  citizen  is  a  soldier  ;  and  there  is  no 
such  thing  as  a  standing  army  at  the  entire  devotion  of  the  sovereign, 
and  independent  of  the  people. 

The  prime  minister,  Hardenberg,  in  a  circular  published  at  the 
time  when  these  reforms  were  in  progress,  declares,  that  "  the  new 
system  is  based  upon  the  principle,  that  every  subject,  personally 
free,  be  able  to  raise  himself,  and  develope  his  powers  freely,  without 
let  or  hindrance  from  any  other  ;  that  the  public  burdens  be  borne 
in  common  and  in  just  proportions  ;  that  equality  before  the  law,  be 
secured  to  every  subject ;  that  justice  be  rigidly  and  punctually  ad- 
ministered ;  that  merit  in  whatever  rank  it  may  be  found,  be  enabled 
to  rise  without  obstacle  ;  that  the  government  be  carried  on  with 
unity,  order,  and  power  ;  that,  by  the  education  of  the  people,  and 
the  spread  of  true  religion,  the  general  interests,  and  a  national  spirit 
be  promoted,  as  the  only  secure  basis  of  the  national  welfare." 

Another  European  king  of  the  Roman  Catholic  faith,  Louis  of  Ba- 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  7 

varia,  who  is  connected  by  marriage  with  the  royal  house  of  Prussia, 
moved  by  this  example,  and  excited  by  emulation  in  behalf  both  of 
his  church  and  kingdom,  is  now  zealously  pushing  forward  the  same 
experiment  among  his  own  people,  and  already  the  Bavarian  schools 
begin  to  rival  the  Prussian  ;  and  the  University  of  Berlin  finds  its 
only  equal  in  that  of  Munich.  Louis  has  in  one  thing  gone  even 
beyond  his  brother  of  Prussia,  in  that  he  has  granted  to  his  people 
a  real  constitutional  representation  in  the  government,  a  privilege 
and  a  right  which  the  Prussians  have  labored  in  vain  to  extort  from 
Frederick  William. 

Fven  the  Autocrat,  Nicholas  of  Russia,  (married  to  a  daughter  of 
the  Prussian  monarch,  who  inherits  much  of  her  father's  spirit,)  has 
been  induced  to  commence  a  similar  system  throughout  his  vast  do- 
minions ;  and  from  the  reports  to  the  emperor  of  M.  d'Ouvaroff, 
the  Russian  Minister  of  Public  Instruction,  it  appears,  that  already 
from  Poland  to  Siberia,  and  from  the  White  Sea  to  the  regions 
beyond,  the  Caucasus,  including  the  provinces  so  recently  wrested 
from  Persia,  there  are  the  beginnings  of  a  complete  system  of  com- 
mon school  instruction  for  the  whole  people,  to  be  carried  into  full 
execution  as  fast  as  it  is  possible  to  provide  the  requisite  number  of 
qualified  teachers. 

Thus  three  sovereigns,  representing  the  three  great  divisions  of 
Christendom,  the  Protestant,  the  Romish,  and  the  Greek,  are  now 
zealously  engaged  in  doing  what  despotic  sovereigns  have  seldom 
done  before — enlightening  and  educating  their  people  ;  and  that  too 
with  better  plans  of  instruction,  and  a  more  efficient  accomplishment 
in  practice  than  the  world  has  ever  before  witnessed.  Nor  is  the 
spirit  of  education  confined  to  these  nations.  The  kingdom  of  Wir- 
temberg,  and  the  grand  duchy  of  Baden,  are  not  behind  Prussia  or 
Bavaria.  The  smaller  states  of  Germany,  and  even  old  Austria, 
are  pushing  forward  in  the  same  career  ;  France  is  all  awake  ;  Spain 
and  Italy  are  beginning  to  open  their  eyes  ;  the  government  of  Eng- 
land— which  has  hitherto  neglected  the  education  of  the  common 
people  more  than  any  other  Protestant  country  of  Europe — is  be- 
ginning to  bestir  itself ;  and  even  the  Sultan  of  Turkey,  and  the 
Pacha  of  Egypt,  are  looking  around  for  well  qualified  teachers  to 
go  among  tiieir  people.  In  London  and  Paris  I  saw  Turks,  and 


8  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.        March, 

Arabs,  and  Greeks,  who  had  been  sent  by  their  respective  govern- 
ments to  these  cities,! for  the  express  purpose  of  being  educated  for 
teachers  in  their  native  countries,  if  not  for  the  whole  people,  at  least 
for  the  favored  few.  At  Constantinople  a  society  has  been  formed 
for  the  promotion  of  useful  knowledge,  which  publishes  a  monthly 
journal  edited  by  one' of  the  Turks  who  studied  in  Paris;  and  the 
Sultan  now  employs  a  French  teacher  in  his  capital,  whom  he  espe- 
cially invited  from  France.  And  here  too  in  our  own  country,  in 
the  movements  of  New  England,  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio, 
Michigan,  and  several  other  of  the  states,  we  are  strongly  reminded 
of  the  educational  zeal  of  the  age. 

In  short  the  world  seems  to  be  awake  and  combining  in  one:simul- 
taneous  effort  for  the  spread  of  education ;  and  sad  indeed  will  be  the 
condition  of  that  community  which  lags  behind  in  this  universal  march. 

But  I  wish  to  direct  your  attention  to  the  influence  which  these 
wide  spread  systems  of  education  in  the  sovereignties  of  Europe, 
emanating  from  Prussia,  must  exert  on  our  own  institutions.  The 
sovereigns  to  whom  I  have  alluded,  are  not  only  educating  the  peo- 
ple, but  they  are  laying  aside  the  pomp,  the  trappings,  and  the  lavish 
expenses  of  royalty,  and  by  simplicity,  by  rigid  economy,  by  an  en- 
ergetic and  impartial  administration  of  the  government,  are  endeavor- 
ing to  establish  their  thrones  in  the  hearts  of  their  people. 

Frederick  William,  in  his  dress,  appearance,  and  whole  deport- 
ment, is  as  simple  and  unostentatious  as  an  Ohio  farmer ;  and  few  of 
our  wealthy  merchants  ride  in  so  plain  a  carriage,  or  sleep  on  so 
homely  a  bed  as  the  monarch  of  Prussia.  After  witnessing  the  pa- 
geantry, the  pomp  and  ostentation  of  the  limited  monarchy  of  Eng- 
land, one  is  astonished  at  the  rigid  simplicity  of  the  great  military 
despotism  of  central  Europe. 

In  every  stage  of- instruction  it  is  made  a  prominent  object,  and 
one  which  is  repeatedly  and  strenuously  insisted  on  in  all  the  laws 
pertaining  to  education,  to  awaken  a  national  spirit — to  create  in  the 
youthful  mind  a  warm  attachment  to  his  native  land,  and  its  institu- 
tions, and  to  fix  in  his  affections  a  decided  preference  for  the  pecu- 
liarities of  his  own  country.  Indeed  the  whole  plan  (which  is  well 
understood  to  have  originated  in  Prussia,  when  the  rapid  spread  of 
republican  principles  first  began  to.  threaten  the  thrones  of  .Europe,) 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  9 

evidently  is  to  unite  with  the  military  force  which  always  attends  a 
despotism,  a  strong  moral  power  over  the  understanding  and  affec- 
tions of  the  people.  In  view  of  this  fact,  an  able  English  writer  de- 
nominates the  modern  kingdom  of  Prussia,  "that  wonderful  machine 
of  state-craft — as  a  mere  machine  the  most  remarkable  in  existence — 
on  the  model  of  which  most  European  governments  are  gradually 
proceeding  to  reform  themselves."  Already  has  this  plan  so  far 
succeeded,  that  there  is  evidently  in  these  countries  a  growing  dis- 
regard for  the  forms  of  free  government,  provided  the  substance  be 
enjoyed  in  the  security  and  prosperity  of  the  people. 

Republicanism  can  be  maintained  only  by  universal  intelligence  and 
virtue  among  the  people,  and  disinterestedness  and  fidelity  in  the  ru- 
lers. Republics  are  considered  the  natural  foes  to  monarchies  ;  and 
where  both  start  up  side  by  side,  it  is  taken  for  granted  that  the  one 
must  supplant  the  other.  Hence  their  watchful  jealousy  of  each  other. 
Now  when  we  see  monarchies  strengthening  themselves  in  the  man- 
ner described,  are  not  republics  exposed  to  double  danger  from  vice, 
and  neglect  of  education  within  themselves  ?  And  do  not  patriotism 
and  the  necessity  of  self-preservation,  call  upon  us  to  do  more  and 
better  for  the  education  of  our  whole  people,  than  any  despotic  sove- 
reign can  do  for  his  ?  Did  we  stand  alone — were  there  no  rival 
governments  on  earth — or  if  we  were  surrounded  by  despotisms  of 
degraded  and  ignorant  slaves,  like  those  of  the  ancient  oriental  world ; 
even  then,  without  intelligence  and  virtue  in  the  great  mass  of  the 
people,  our  liberties  would  pass  from  us.  How  emphatically  must 
this  be  the  case  now,  when  the  whole  aspect  of  things  is  changed, 
and  monarchies  have  actually  stolen  a  march  upon  republics  in  the 
promotion  of  popular  intelligence  ? 


EFFORTS  FOR  EDUCATION  IN  RUSSIA. 

In  a  former  report,  which  was  printed  by  order  of  the  Legislature 

in  1836, 1  gave  a  synopsis  of  the  governmental  regulations  in  Prussia 

respecting  education,  and  I  have  not  found  by  investigations  on  the 

spot,  that  the  statements  then  made  require  any  essential  modifica- 

2 


10  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.        March, 

tion.  [See  Appendix  A.]  I  will  here,  however,  take  the  liberty 
of  stating  some  facts  respecting  the  governmental  efforts  recently 
made  in  RUSSIA,  to  establish  a  system  of  popular  education  through- 
out that  vast  empire.  These  cannot  but  be  deeply  interesting  to  us, 
since  Russia  has  so  many  points  of  resemblance,  and  of  striking  con- 
trast to  our  own  country.  Like  the  United  States,  her  dominion  ex- 
tends over  an  immense  territory,  comprising  almost  every  variety  of 
soil,  climate,  productions,  and  national  character.  Like  ours,  her 
educational  institutions  are  comparatively  new,  and  almost  everything 
is  to  be  begun  in  its  elements  ;  and,  like  us,  she  has  received  great 
accessions  to  her  population  by  immigrants  from  almost  every  nation 
of  Europe.  Russia  is  unquestionably  the  largest  and  most  powerful 
of  despotisms  ;  as  the  United  States  is  the  largest  and  most  power- 
ful of  republics  :  and,  while  we  enjoy  the  greatest  political  freedom 
that  any  government  has  ever  permitted,  she  is  held  fast  by  the  bonds 
of  a  severe  autocracy.  Add  to  this,  Russia  is  the  only  European 
government,  with  the  exception  of  Great  Britain,  whose  territories 
border  on  our  own.  The  fact,  then,  that  a  system  of  public  instruction 
has  been  established  in  the  Russian  empire,  is  one  of  deep  interest 
to  us  ;  and  no  less  interesting  will  it  be  for  us  to  know  something  of 
the  nature  of  the  system  and  of  the  means  by  which  it  is  carried  into 
operation. 

The  general  system  is  that  of  Prussia,  with  such  modifications  as 
are  necessary  to  adapt  it  to  that  widely  extended,  and,  in  some  parts, 
semi-barbarous  empire.  For  example,  the  whole  empire  is  divided 
into  provinces,  each  of  which  has  a  university — these  provinces  into 
academic  districts,  which  are  provided  with  their  gymnasia  for  clas- 
sical learning,  and  academies  for  the  higher  branches  of  a  business  ed- 
ucation ;  and  these  academic  districts  are  again  subdivided  into 
school  districts,  each  with  its  elementary  school.  As  the  heart  of 
the  whole  system,  there  is  at  St.  Petersburg  a  model  school  for  the 
education  of  teachers  of  every  grade,  for  all  parts  of  the  empire.  Of 
the  Universities,  six  had  already  gone  into  operation  in  1835,  name- 
ly :  one  at  St.  Petersburg,  one  at  Moscow,  one  at  Dorpat,  in  Livo- 
nia, one  at  Charkovv,  east  of  the  river  Dnieper,  one  at  Kasan, 
on  the  Wolga,  and  one  at  Kiew.  At  other  points  Lyceums  are 
established,  with  courses  of  study  more  limited  than  that  of  the 


1838.  HOUSE— No,  64.  11 

Universities  ;  and  there  is  an  institution  at  Moscow,  especially  for 
the  education  of  the  nobility.  Of  course,  I  shall  not  be  understood 
as  recommending  for  adoption  by  us  whatever  I  speak  of  with  appro- 
bation in  reference  to  foreign  lands  ;  for  the  different  circumstances 
of  nations  require  entirely  different  systems.  It  is  the  part  of  a  wise 
legislator  to  examine  all  the  improvements  within  his  reach,  and  from 
the  whole,  to  select  those  parts  only  which  are  adapted  to  the  pecu- 
liar circumstances  of  the  people  for  whom  he  legislated . 

The  different  institutions  in  Russia  are  established  as  fast  as  the 
circumstances  of  the  people  admit  ;  and  as  teachers  can  be  found  to 
supply  them.  At  the  date  of  the  last  report  of  the  Minister  of  Pub- 
lic Instruction,  the  number  of  elementary  and  parish  schools  was 
about  12,000 — of  private  schools,  430 — and  of  gymnasia,  57. 

The  governmental  regulations  for  cherishing  in  the  people  a  desire 
for  education,  and  directing  them  in  the  attainment  of  it,  are  wisely 
adapted  to  the  purpose.  The  Minister  of  Public  Instruction  pub- 
lishes a  regular  periodical  journal,  in  which  he  gathers  up  all  the 
facts,  information  and  arguments,  to  which  his  official  station  gives 
him  access,  and  circulates  them  extensively  through  the  nation.  To 
illustrate  the  good  faith,  diligence  and  liberal-mindedness  with  which 
he  executes  this  part  of  his  office,  I  would  refer  to  the  number  of  his 
journal  for  August,  1835,  in  which  he  notices,  with  great  approba- 
tion, the  efforts  of  tract  societies  for  the  diffusion  of  moral  and 
religious  sentiments  among  the  people,  and  mentions  by  name  sev- 
eral publications  of  the  American  Tract  Society,  which  have  been 
translated  into  Russian,  as  having  reached  a  third  edition,  and  as 
being  happily  calculated  to  enlighten  the  intellect,  and  elevate  the 
character  of  the  people  among  whom  they  circulate.  If  the  Minis- 
ter of  the  Emperor  Nicholas  shows  so  much  readiness  to  receive  a 
good  thing  even  from  Democratic  America,  we  surely  will  not  be 
so  narrow-minded  as  to  spurn  a  good  idea  because  it  happened  first 
to  develope  itself  in  Autocratic  Russia.  As  a  farther  means  of  pro-- 
rnoting  education,  every  school  director  and  examiner  undergoes  a 
rigid  scrutiny  as  to  his  intellectual  and  moral  fitness  for  those  impor- 
tant trusts  ;  and  every  candidate  for  civil  office  is  strictly  examined 
as  to  his  attainments  in  those  branches  of  learning  requisite  to  the 
right  performance  of  the  official  duties  to  which  he  aspires.  As 


12  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.        March, 

common  schools  are  new  in  the  Russian  Empire,  and  as  school- 
houses  are  to  be  built  in  every  part  of  it,  the  government,  knowing 
the  importance  of  having  these  houses  well  planned  and  put  up,  has 
appointed  an  architect,  with  a  salary  of  1000  rubles  a  year,  for  every 
academic  district,  whose  whole  business  it  is  to  superintend  the 
erecting  and  fitting  up  of  the  district  school-houses  in  his  particular 
province.  When  we  recollect  how  many  of  the  evils  of  our  district 
schools  result  from  the  bad  construction  and  wretched  furniture  of 
our  school-houses,  how  completely,  by  these  defects,  the  efforts  of 
the  best  teachers  may  be  nullified,  and  the  minds  and  health  of  chil- 
dren, as  well  as  their  comfort,  destroyed,  we  cannot  but  acknowl- 
edge this  to  be,  for  a  country  where  every  thing  is  to  be  begun  from 
its  foundation,  a  most  judicious  arrangement. 

Canals,  and  other  public  improvements  of  this  kind,  are  now  in 
great  demand,  and,  to  further  them,  an  institution  has  been  estab- 
lished for  the  express  purpose  of  teaching  the  arts  requisite  in  their 
construction  ;  and  young  men  who  intend  to  devote  themselves  to 
this  business,  are  taken  from  the  other  schools  and  placed  in  this 
institution  at  the  public  expense.  Special  provision,  also,  is  made 
for  instruction  in  agriculture,  and  all  the  kindred  arts,  in  order  that 
the  natural  resources  of  the  country  may  be  fully  developed.  That 
religious  instruction  may  be  efficient,  and,  at  the  same  time,  the 
rights  of  conscience  remain  inviolate,  clergymen  of  different  Christian 
denominations,  where  the  circumstances  of  the  people  require  it.  are 
employed  as  religious  teachers  in  the  schools,  their  services  com- 
pensated by  government,  and  their  families  provided  for,  if  necessary. 
The  importance  of  female  teachers  is  recognized,  and  every  encour- 
agement is  held  out  to  young  ladies  to  engage  in  this  work.  Private 
teachers  are  subject  to  the  same  rules,  and  the  same  strict  inspection, 
as  the  teachers  of  public  schools  :  and,  what  is  an  improvement  on 
the  Prussian  plan,  if  the  teacher  of  a  private  school  becomes  super- 
annuated, or  dies,  in  the  service,  his  family  are  entitled  to  the  same 
privileges  as  that  of  a  public  teacher,  and  receive  pensions  from  the 
government  adequate  to  their  support  and  education.  Thus  all  class- 
es of  faithful  teachers  are  regarded  and  treated  as  public  benefactors, 
and  considered  as  entitled,  not  merely  to  a  bare  support  while  toiling 
and  wearing  themselves  out  in  the  public  service,  but  to  national  re- 
membrance and  gratitude  after  their  work  is  done. 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  13 

Though  the  emperor  of  Russia  is  justly  accused  of  unpardonable 
oppression  in  respect  to  Poland,  yet  he  does  not  carry  his  oppres- 
sion so  far  as  to  deprive  the  poor  Polanders  of  the  benefits  of  educa- 
tion, but  is  exerting  the  same  laudable  zeal  to  provide  teachers  for 
Poland  as  for  any  other  part  of  his  dominions.  It  has  been  found 
exceedingly  difficult  to  obtain  teachers  who  are  willing  to  exercise 
their  calling  in  the  cold  and  inhospitable  regions  of  Siberia.  To  fa- 
cilitate this  object,  special  privileges  have  been  granted  to  Siberian 
teachers.  Siberian  young  men  are  admitted  to  the  university  of  Ka- 
san  free  of  expense,  on  condition  that  they  devote  a  certain  number 
of  years  to  the  business  of  school-keeping  in  Siberia.  To  forward 
the  same  object,  a  Siberian  gentleman,  by  the  name  of  Ponomarew, 
gives  6000  rubles  a  year  for  the  support  of  the  parish  schools  of  Ir- 
kutzk,  quite  to  the  north-eastern  extremity  of  Siberia,  and  has  obli- 
gated himself,  for  ten  years,  to  pay  500  rubles  a  year  more,  for  the 
encouragement  of  the  pupils  of  those  schools. 

Teachers  from  foreign  countries  are  welcomed,  and  special  pro- 
vision is  made  that  their  religious  sentiments  be  not  interfered  with, 
as  well  as  that  they  do  not  impose  their  peculiar  religious  notions  on 
their  pupils.  For  the  perfecting  of  teachers  in  certain  branches,  they 
are  often  sent  abroad,  at  the  public  expense,  to  study  in  the  institu- 
tions of  other  countries,  where  these  branches  are  most  successfully 
taught.  Of  these,  there  were  in  1S35,  thirteen  in  Berlin — several 
in  Vienna — and  one  in  Oxford,  England.  School  examiners  and 
school  committees,  as  well  as  school  teachers,  are  required  to  hold 
frequent  meetings  for  discussion,  and  for  mutual  instruction  and  en- 
couragement. 

It  is  the  policy  of  the  Minister  of  Public  Instruction,  not  to  crowd 
the  schools  with  too  many  pupils — but  to  furnish  as  many  teachers 
as  possible,  particularly  in  the  higher  institutions,  that  each  individual 
scholar  may  receive  a  due  share  of  attention.  As  an  illustration,  I 
will  refer  to  some  of  the  universities.  The  university  of  St.  Peters- 
burg has  two  hundred  and  thirty  pupils,  and  fifty-two  officers  and 
teachers,  or  one  teacher  to  every  four  or  five  students.  At  Mos- 
cow, four  hundred  and  fifty-six  students,  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight 
teachers  and  officers,  or  one  to  every  two  or  three  students.  That 
of  Kasan,  seventy  officers  and  teachers,  to  two  hundred  and  thirty- 


14  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.         March, 

eight  students,  or  one  to  every  three  of  four  students.  That  at  Kiew, 
forty-three  officers  and  teachers,  to  sixty-two  students,  or  nearly  as 
many  of  the  one  as  the  other.  I  would  remark,  however,  that  some 
of  the  teachers  are  merely  lecturers  on  particular  branches,  and  take 
no  active  part  in  the  discipline  or  instruction  of  the  institution,  and 
a  few  attend  only  to  its  business  concerns.  Some  of  the  universities, 
also,  are  not  full,  the  institutions  being  new,  and  a  full  corps  of  teach- 
ers being  appointed  at  the  commencement.  With  all  these  allow- 
ances, however,  we  may  set  it  down  as  a  principle,  that  in  the  uni- 
versities it  is  intended  that  there  shall  be  one  teacher  at  least  to  every 
eight  or  ten  students.  This  may  be  going  to  excess,  but  it  is  certain 
that  the  ambition  to  multiply  students  beyond  all  the  means  of  teach- 
ing, has  been  a  great  injury  to  education  in  American  institutions. 
Education  can  never  be  what  it  is  capable  of  being,  unless  the  teach- 
er can  command  time  to  become  familiar  with  each  individual  mind 
under  his  care,  and  to  adapt  his  mode  of  teaching  to  its  peculiarities. 
To  instruct  only  in  masses,  and  to  apply  the  same  methods  of  in- 
struction to  all,  is  like  throwing  the  drugs  of  an  apothecary's  shop 
into  one  great  caldron — stirring  them  together,  and  giving  every  pa- 
tient in  the  hospital  a  portion  of  the  mixture. 

It  is  peculiarly  interesting  in  noticing  the  efforts  of  Russia,  to  ob- 
serve, that  the  blessings  of  a  good  common  school  education  are  now 
extended  to  tribes  which  from  time  immemorial  have  been  in  a  state 
of  barbarism.  In  the  wild  regions,  beyond  mount  Caucasus,  compris- 
ing the  provinces  recently  acquired  from  Persia,  the  system  of  dis- 
trict schools  is  efficiently  carried  out.  As  early  as  1835,  there  were 
already  established  in  those  parts  of  the  empire,Nfifteen  schools,  with 
sixty  teachers,  and  about  one  thousand  three  hundred  children  under 
instruction  ;  so  that  in  the  common  schools  of  this  new  and  unculti- 
vated region,  one  teacher  is  provided  for  every  twenty  scholars. 
Besides  this,  there  is  a  gymnasium  at  Tifflis,  in  which  Asiatic  lads  are 
fitted  to  enter  the  European  universities. 

All  teachers  throughout  the  empire,  according  to  an  ordinance  of 
February  26,  1835,  receive  their  salaries  monthly,  that  their  atten- 
tion may  not  be  distracted  by  family  cares.  For  the  encouragement 
of  entire  devotedness  on  the  part  of  teachers,  and  to  prevent  all  soli- 
citude for  the  maintenance  of  their  families,  the  minister  of  public  in- 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  15 

struction  is  authorized  to  grant,  to  the  widows  and  orphans  of  those 
teachers  who  have  particularly  distinguished  themselves,  not  only  the 
usual  pension,  but  a  gratuity  equal  in  amount  to  an  entire  salary  of 
two  years. 

The  officers  of  government  employed  in  the  distant  provinces  of 
the  empire,  in  the  distant  parts  of  Siberia,  and  on  the  borders  of 
Persia,  complained,  that  their  remote  location  deprived  their  children 
of  the  advantages  of  the  gymnasia  and  universities,  which  others  en- 
joyed. To  obviate  this  inconvenience,  and  to  equalize  as  far  as  pos- 
sible the  advantages  of  education,  the  children  of  these  officers  are 
taken  to  the  nearest  gymnasium  or  university,  and  their  travelling  ex- 
penses defrayed  by  government.  All  the  institutions  of  education 
are  subject  to  the  same  rigorous  examination  as  in  Prussia,  and  the 
minister  of  public  instruction  is,  ex  officio,  chairman  of  the  board  of 
examiners  for  the  universities.  As  the  duties  of  this  office  have  be- 
come very  laborious,  the  government,  in  addition  to  a  liberal  supply 
of  other  helps,  in  1835  appointed  General  Count  Protassow,  who 
had  for  some  time  acted  as  a  school  director,  assistant  minister  of 
public  instruction. 

I  have  already  mentioned  the  model  institution  for  teachers  at  St. 
Petersburg.  In  1835,  seventy -six  teachers  were  graduated,  and  the 
number  is  every  year  increasing.  Under  the  influence  of  this  school, 
and  other  governmental  arrangements,  the  methods  of  teaching  are 
continually  improving  ;  and,  in  his  report  for  1835,  the  Minister  ob- 
serves, that  the  moral  improvement  of  both  teachers  and  pupils  is 
such  as  to  encourage  the  most  pleasing  hopes,  that  within  the  last 
two  years,  the  national  interest  in  the  subject  of  education  has  very 
greatly  increased,  and  that  it  has  now  become  a  matter  of  the  deepest 
interest  to  the  whole  people  ;  and  that  as  to  the  methods  of  instruc- 
tion, the  old  mechanical  memoriter  mode  is  continually  giving  way  to 
the  system  of  developing  the  faculties.  Many  facts  are  stated  in 
the  report,  which  confirm  the  Minister's  remark,  in  respect  to  the 
growing  interest  in  the  minds  of  the  Russian  people,  on  the  subject 
of  education,  illustrating  the  important  fact,  that  among  whatever 
people  a  good  system  of  instruction  is  efficiently  carried  out,  a  deep 
and  general  interest  will  be  excited.  The  nobles  and  the  commons 
appear  to  emulate  each  other  in  the  advancement  of  this  cause.  The 


16  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.        March, 

nobility  of  Novgorod  voluntarily  contribute  more  than  twelve  thou- 
sand rubles  a  year  for  the  Gymnasium  in  that  place,  and  at  Wologda 
the  nobility  contribute  for  a  similar  object  nine  thousand  a  year.  At 
Cronstadt,  the  citizens  volunteered  to  sustain  a  school  at  their  own 
expense.  At  another  place  on  the  shores  of  the  White  Sea,  the 
citizens  have  not  only  volunteered  to  maintain  the  school,  but  have 
also,  of  their  own  accord,  entered  into  an  obligation  to  erect  a  large 
and  handsome  stone  building  for  the  accommodation  of  the  teachers 
and  scholars.  This  was  brought  about  by  the  zeal  and  activity  of  a 
single  individual,  whose  name,  though  a  barbarous  one,  ought  here 
to  be  mentioned — Wassiligi  Kologriew.  This  gentleman  volunteer- 
ed as  an  agent  to  promote  the  cause  of  education  in  the  place  of  his 
residence,  and  besides  giving  his  time  and  efforts,  bore  an  equal 
share  in  all  the  expenses,  and  in  addition,  made  a  distinct  donation  of 
2500  rubles  for  the  advancement  of  the  cause. 

Another  gentleman  at  Archangel,  by  the  name  of  Kowalewsky, 
made  a  journey  to  a  distant  neighborhood  inhabited  by  Samoiedes, 
Sirianes  and  other  half  barbarous  tribes,  to  explain  to  them  the  ad- 
vantages of  education,  and  endeavor  to  establish  a  school  among 
them.  In  this  he  was  warmly  seconded  by  the  clergyman  of  the 
place,  and,  as  the  result  of  it,  a  single  peasant  or  farmer,  by  the  name 
of  Anuphriew,  engaged  to  support  the  school  entirely  for  two  years, 
and  after  that  to  contribute  300  rubles  a  year  for  five  years  longer, 
and  in  addition  to  this  he  contributed  1500  rubles  for  the  erection  of 
a  school-house.  The  chief  magistrate  of  the  place  also  contributed, 
and  allured  by  these  examples  the  Sirianes  put  down  nearly  15,000 
rubles  ;  and  as  soon  as  the  requisite  preparations  could  be  made,  the 
school  was  opened  with  great  solemnity  and  appropriate  ceremonies, 
in  the  midst  of  an  immense  concourse  of  intensely  interested  spec- 
tators. I  shall  be  greatly  disappointed  if  we  cannot  find  in  Ohio, 
enlightened  men  in  our  cities,  and  farmers  in  the  country,  willing  to 
do  as  much  for  education  as  the  gentleman  of  Archangel,  and  the 
hard-working  peasant  of  the  frozen  regions  of  northern  Russia. 

A  merchant  by  the  name  of  Pluessin  in  Lialsk,  made  a  donation 
of  10,000  rubles  for  the  foundation  of  a  district  school  in  that  place, 
and  offered  in  addition,  to  have  the  school  kept  in  his  own  house, 
and  to  furnish  it  with  firewood  for  three  years.  Tschistow,  a  citi- 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  17 

zen  of  Moscow,  gave  2300  rubles  for  the  purchase  of  school  books, 
to  be  distributed  among  the  poor  children  of  the  first  school  district 
in  that  city. 

Numerous  other  instances  might  be  mentioned  of  donations  from 
persons  in  all  ranks  in  society — in  money,  books,  houses,  fuel,  or 
whatever  they  had  it  in  their  power  to  give  for  the  support  of  schools  ; 
but  the  above  may  be  sufficient  to  show  the  spirit  of  the  people  and 
excite  us  to  emulation. 

It  must  be  observed  that  the  government  makes  provision  for  the 
maintenance  of  all  the  district  schools,  gymnasia  and  Universities ; 
and  that  this  liberality  of  private  citizens  arises  from  pure  zeal  for 
the  cause,  and  is  applied  to  the  extending  and  increasing  the  advan- 
tages derived  from  governmental  patronage,  to  the  purchase  of  books 
and  clothing  for  the  poorer  children,  the  establishment  of  school 
libraries,  and  the  providing  of  suitable  rewards  for  meritorious  teach- 
ers and  pupils,  and  securing  the  means  of  access  to  the  school-house, 
and  proper  furniture  for  it.  Every  effort  is  made  to  provide  a  plen- 
tiful supply  of  good  school  books,  and  to  establish  suitable  libraries 
for  the  use  of  teachers.  Quite  recently,  a  Russian  lady,  a  Miss 
DarzofF,  received  from  the  government  a  premium  of  2500  rubles 
for  compiling  a  little  work,  entitled  "  Useful  Readings  for  Chil- 
dren." 

In  view  of  such  facts  as  these,  who  is  not  ready  to  exclaim  : 
"  Well  done,  cold,  semi-barbarous,  despotic  Russia  ! — may  other 
nations  more  favored  by  nature  and  Providence  emulate  thy  ex- 
ample !" 

INTERNAL  ARRANGEMENTS  OP  THE  PRUSSIAN  SCHOOLS. 

I  will  now  ask  your  attention  to  a  few  facts  respecting  the  inter- 
nal management  of  the  schools  in  Prussia  and  some  other  parts  of 
Germany,  which  were  impressed  on  my  mind  by  a  personal  inspec- 
tion of  those  establishments. 

One  of  the  circumstances  that  interested  me  most  was  the  excel- 
lent order  and  rigid  economy  with  which  all  the  Prussian  institutions 
are  conducted.  Particularly  in  large  boarding  schools,  where  hun- 
dreds, and  sometimes  thousands  of  youth  are  collected  together,  the 
3 


18  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.        March, 

benefits  of  the  system  are  strikingly  manifest.  Every  boy  is  taught 
to  wait  upon  himself — to  keep  his  person,  clothing,  furniture,  and 
hooks,  in  perfect  order  and  neatness  ;  and  no  extravagance  in  dress, 
and  no  waste  of  fuel  or  food,  or  property  of  any  kind  is  permitted. 
Each  student  has  his  own  single  bed,  which  is  generally  a  light  mat- 
trass,  laid  upon  a  frame  of  slender  bars  of  iron,  because  such  bed- 
steads are  not  likely  to  be  infested  by  insects,  and  each  one  makes 
his  own  bed  and  keeps  it  in  order.  In  the  house,  there  is  a  place 
for  every  thing  and  every  thing  must  be  in  its  place.  In  one  closet 
are  the  shoe-brushes  and  blacking,  in  another,  the  lamps  and  oil,  in 
another  the  fuel.  At  the  doors  are  good  mats  and  scrapers,  and 
every  thing  of  the  kind  necessary  for  neatness  and  comfort,  and 
every  student  is  taught,  as  carefully  as  he  is  taught  any  other  lesson, 
to  make  a  proper  use  of  all  these  articles  at  the  right  time,  and  then 
to  leave  them  in  good  order  at  their  proper  places.  Every  instance 
of  neglect  is  sure  to  receive  its  appropriate  reprimand,  and  if  neces- 
sary, severe  punishment.  I  know  of  nothing  that  can  benefit  us 
more  than  the  introduction  of  such  oft-repeated  lessons  on  careful- 
ness and  frugality  into  all  our  educational  establishments  ;  for  the 
contrary  habits  of  carelessness  and  wastefulness,  notwithstanding  all 
the  advantages  which  we  enjoy,  have  already  done  us  immense  mis- 
chief. Very  many  of  our  families  waste  and  throw  away  nearly  as 
much  as  they  use  ;  and  one  third  of  the  expenses  of  housekeeping 
might  be  saved  by  system  and  frugality.  It  is  true,  we  have  such  an 
abundance  of  every  thing  that  this  enormous  waste  is  not  so  sensibly 
felt  as  it  would  be  in  a  more  densely  populated  region  ;  but  it  is  not 
always  to  be  so  with  us.  The  productions  of  our  country  for  some 
years  past  have  by  no  means  kept  pace  with  the  increase  of  con- 
sumption, and  many  an  American  family  during  the  last  season  has 
felt  a  hard  pressure,  where  they  never  expected  to  feel  one. 

Especially  should  this  be  made  a  branch  of  female  education,  and 
studied  faithfully  and  perseveringly  by  all  who  are  to  be  wives  and 
mothers,  and  have  the  care  of  families. 

The  universal  success  also  and  very  beneficial  results,  with  which 
the  arts  of  drawing  and  designing,  vocal  and  instrumental  music, 
moral  instruction  and  the  Bible,  have  been  introduced  into  schools, 
was  another  fact  peculiarly  interesting  to  me.  I  asked  all  the  teach- 


1 838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  19 

ers  with  whom  I  conversed,  whether  they  did  not  sometimes  find 
children  who  were  actually  incapable  of  learning  to  draw  and  to  sing. 
I  have  had  but  one  reply,  and  that  was,  that  they  found  the  same 
diversity  of  natural  talent  in  regard  to  these  as  in  regard  to  reading, 
writing,  and  the  other  branches  of  education  ;  but  they  had  never 
seen  a  child  who  was  capable  of  learning  to  read  and  write,  who 
could  not  be  taught  to  sing  well  and  draw  neatly,  and  that  too  with- 
out taking  any  time  which  would  at  all  interfere  with,  indeed  which 
would  not  actually  promote  his  progress  in  other  studies.  In  regard 
to  the  necessity  of  moral  instruction  and  the  beneficial  influence  of 
the  Bible  in  schools,  the  testimony  was  no  less  explicit  and  uniform. 
I  inquired  of  all  classes  of  teachers,  and  men  of  every  grade  of  reli- 
gious faith,  instructors  in  common  schools,  high  schools,  and  schools 
of  art,  of  professors  in  colleges,  universities  and  professional  semin- 
aries, in  cities  and  in  the  country,  in  places  where  there  was  a 
uniformity  and  in  places  where  was  a  diversity  of  creeds,  of  be- 
lievers and  unbelievers,  of  rationalists  and  enthusiasts,  of  Catholics 
and  Protestants  ;  and  I  never  found  but  one  reply,  and  that  was,  that 
to  leave  the  moral  faculty  uninstructed  was  to  leave  the  most  impor- 
tant part  of  the  human  mind  undeveloped,  and  to  strip  education  of 
almost  every  thing  that  can  make  it  valuable  ;  and  that  the  Bible, 
independently  of  the  interest  attending  it,  as  containing  the  most 
ancient  and  influential  writings  ever  recorded  by  human  hands,  and 
comprising  the  religious  system  of  almost  the  whole  of  the  civilized 
world,  is  in  itself  the  best  book  that  can  be  put  into  the  hands  of 
children  to  interest,  to  exercise,  and  to  unfold  their  intellectual  and 
moral  powers.  Every  teacher  whom  I  consulted,  repelled  with 
indignation  the  idea  that  moral  instruction  is  not  proper  for  schools  ; 
and  spurned  with  contempt  the  allegation,  that  the  Bible  cannot  be 
introduced  into  common  schools  without  encouraging  a  sectarian  bias 
in  tiie  matter  of  teaching  ;  an  indignation  and  contempt  which  I  be- 
lieve will  be  fully  participated  in  by  every  high-minded  teacher  in 
Christendom. 

A  few  instances,  to  illustrate  the  above  mentioned  general  state- 
ments, I  here  subjoin  : — Early  in  September  I  visited  the  Orphan 
House  at  Halle,  an  institution  founded  by  the  benevolence  of  Franke, 
about  the  year  1700,  and  which  has  been  an  object  of  special  favor 


20  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.         March, 

with  the  present  king  of  Prussia.  It  now  contains  from  2700  to 
3000  boys,  most  of  them  orphans  sustained  by  charity.  After  ex- 
amining its  extensive  grounds,  its  commodious  and  neat  buildings, 
its  large  book  store,  its  noble  printing  establishment,  for  printing  the 
Bible  in  the  oriental  and  modern  languages,  its  large  apothecary's 
shop,  for  the  dispensation  of  medicine  to  the  poor,  and  the  exquisite- 
ly beautiful  statue  of  its  founder,  erected  by  Frederic  William  III ; 
I  was  invited  by  Drs.  Guerike  and  Netto  to  go  into  the  dining-hall 
and  see  the  boys  partake  of  their  supper.  The  hall  is  a  very  long 
and  narrow  room,  and  furnished  the  whole  length  of  each  side  with 
short  tables  like  the  mess  tables  on  board  a  man  of  war,  each  table 
accommodating  about  twelve  boys.  The  tables  were  without  cloths, 
but  very  clean,  and  were  provided  with  little  pewter  basins  of  warm 
soup,  and  just  as  many  pieces  of  dark  and  coarse,  but  very  whole- 
some, bread,  as  there  were  to  be  boys  at  the  table.  When  the  bell 
rang,  the  boys  entered  in  a  very  quiet  and  orderly  manner,  each  with 
a  little  pewter  spoon  in  his  hand.  When  they  had  arranged  them- 
selves at  table,  at  a  signal  from  the  teacher  one  of  the  boys  ascended 
a  pulpit  near  the  centre  of  the  hall,  and  in  the  most  appropriate  man- 
ner supplicated  the  blessing  of  God  upon  their  frugal  repast.  The 
boys  then  each  took  his  bit  of  bread  in  one  hand,  and  with  his  spoon 
in  the  other,  made  a  very  quiet  and  healthful  meal.  They  then 
united  in  singing  two  or  three  verses  of  a  hymn,  and  retired  in  the 
same  quiet  and  orderly  manner  in  which  they  had  entered.  It  being 
warm  weather,  they  were  dressed  in  jackets  and  trowsers  of  clean, 
coarse  brown  linen  ;  and  a  more  cheerful,  healthy,  intelligent  set  of 
youthful  faces  and  glistening  eyes  I  never  saw  before  ;  and  notwith- 
standing the  gravity  with  which  they  partook  of  their  supper  and  left 
the  hall,  when  fairly  in  the  yard,  there  was  such  a  pattering  of  little 
feet,  such  a  chattering  of  German,  and  such  skipping  and  playing,  as 
satisfied  me  that  none  of  their  boyish  spirits  had  been  broken  by  the 
discipline  of  the  school. 

At  Weisenfels,  near  Lutzen  where  the  great  battle  was  fought  in 
the  thirty  years'  war,  there  is  a  collection  of  various  schools,  under 
the  superintendence  of  Dr.  Harnisch,  in  what  was  formerly  a  large 
convent.  Among  the  rest  there  is  one  of  those  instituiions  peculiar 
to  Prussia,  in  which  the  children  of  very  destitute  families  are  taken 


1838  HOUSE— No.  64.  21 

and  educated  at  the  public  expense,  to  become  teachers  in  poor  vil- 
lages where  they  can  never  expect  to  receive  a  large  compensation  ; 
institutions  of  a  class  which  we  do  not  need  here,  because  no  villages 
in  this  country  need  be  poor.  Of  course,  though  they  have  all  the 
advantages  of  scientific  advancement  enjoyed  in  the  most  favored 
schools,  frugality  and  self-denial  form  an  important  part  of  their  edu- 
cation. Dr.  Harnisch  invited  me  to  this  part  of  the  establishment 
to  see  these  boys  dine.  When  I  came  to  the  room,  they  were  sit- 
ting at  their  writing  tables,  engaged  in  their  studies  as  usual.  At  the 
ringing  of  the  bell  they  arose.  Some  of  the  boys  left  the  room,  and 
the  others  removed  the  papers  and  books  from  the  tables,  and  laid 
them  away  in  their  places.  Some  of  the  boys  who  had  gone  out, 
then  re-entered  with  clean,  coarse  table  cloths  in  their  hands,  which 
they  spread  over  their  writing  tables.  These  were  followed  by  oth- 
ers with  loaves  of  brown  bread,  and  plates  provided  with  cold  meat 
and  sausages,  neatly  cut  in  slices,  and  jars  of  water,  which  they  ar- 
ranged on  the  table.  Of  these  materials,  after  a  short  religious  ser- 
vice, they  made  a  cheerful  and  hearty  meal  ;  then  arose,  cleared 
away  their  tables,  swept  their  room,  and  after  a  suitable  season  of 
recreation,  resumed  their  studies.  They  are  taught  to  take  care  of 
themselves,  independent  of  any  help,  and  their  only  luxuries  are  the 
fruits  and  plants  which  they  cultivate  with  their  own  hands,  and  which 
grow  abundantly  in  the  gardens  of  the  institution. 

INSTITUTIONS    FOR    REFORMATION. 

At  Berlin,  I  visited  an  establishment  for  the  reformation  of  youth- 
ful offenders.  Here  boys  are  placed,  who  have  committed  offences 
that  bring  them  under  the  supervision  of  the  police,  to  be  instructed, 
and  rescued  from  vice,  instead  of  being  hardened  in  iniquity,  by  liv- 
ing in  the  common  prison  with  old  offenders.  It  is  under  the  care 
of  Dr.  Kopf,  a  most  simple-hearted,  excellent  old  gentleman  ;  just 
such  an  one  as  reminds  us  of  the  ancient  Christians,  who  lived  in  the 
times  of  the  persecution,  simplicity  and  purity  of  the  Christian  church. 
He  has'been  very  successful  in  reclaiming  the  young  offender,  and 
many  an  one,  who  would  otherwise  have  been  forever  lost,  has,  by  the 
influence  of  this  institution,  been  saved  to  himself — to  his  country — 


22  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.         March, 

and  to  God.  It  is  a  manual  labor  school  ;  and  to  a  judicious  inter- 
mingling of  study  and  labor,  religious  instruction,  kind  treatment  and 
necessary  severity,  it  has  owed  its  success.  When  I  was  there, 
most  of  the  boys  were  employed  in  cutting  screws  for  the  rail-road 
which  the  government  was  then  constructing  between  Berlin  and 
Leipsic  ;  and  there  were  but  few  who  could  not  maintain  themselves 
by  their  labor.  As  I  was  passing  with  Dr.  K.  from  room  to  room, 
I  heard  some  beautiful  voices  singing  in  an  adjoining  apartment,  and 
on  entering  I  found  about  twenty  of  the  boys,  sitting  at  a  long  table, 
making  clothes  for  the  establishment,  and  singing  at  their  work. 
The  Dr.  enjoyed  my  surprise,  and  on  going  out,  remarked — "  I 
always  keep  these  little  rogues  singing  at  their  work,  for  while  the 
children  sing,  the  devil  cannot  come  among  them  at  all ;  he  can  only 
sit  out  doors  there  and  growl ;  but  if  they  stop  singing,  in  the  devil 
comes." — The  Bible  and  the  singing  of  religious  hymns,  are  among 
the  most  efficient  instruments  which  he  employs  for  softening  the 
hardened  heart,  and  bringing  the  vicious  and  stubborn  will  to  docility. 
A  similar  establishment  in  the  neighborhood  of  Hamburg,  to 
which  I  was  introduced  by  Dr.  Julius,  who  is  known  to  many  of 
our  citizens,  afforded  striking  examples  of  the  happy  influence  of 
moral  and  religious  instruction,  in  reclaiming  the  vicious  and  saving 
the  lost.  Hamburg  is  the  largest  commercial  city  of  Germany,  and 
its  population  is  extremely  crowded.  Though  it  is  highly  dis- 
tinguished for  its  benevolent  institutions,  and  for  the  hospitality  and 
integrity  of  its  citizens,  yet  the  very  circumstances  in  which  it  is 
placed,  produce  among  the  lowest  class  of  its  population,  habits  of 
degradation  and  beastliness,  of  which  we  have  but  few  examples  on 
this  side  the  Atlantic.  The  children,  therefore,  received  into  this 
institution,  are  often  of  the  very  worst  and  most  hopeless  character. 
Not  only  are  their  minds  most  thoroughly  depraved,  but  their  very 
senses  and  bodily  organization  seem  to  partake  in  the  viciousness 
and  degradation  of  their  hearts.  Their  appetites  are  so  perverted, 
that  sometimes  the  most  loathsome  and  disgusting  substances  are 
preferred  to  wholesome  food.  The  Superintendent,  Mr.  Wichern, 
states,  that  though  plentifully  supplied  with  provisions,  yet  when  first 
received,  some  of  them  will  steal  and  eat  soap,  rancid  grease  that 
has  been  laid  aside  for  the  purpose  of  greasing  shoes,  and  even  catch 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  23 

\ 
May-bugs  and  devour  them  ;  and  it  is  with  the  utmost  difficulty  that 

these  disgusting  habits  are  broken  up.  An  ordinary  man  might  sup- 
pose that  the  task  of  restoring  such  poor  creatures  to  decency  and 
good  morals  was  entirely  hopeless.  Not  so  with  Mr.  Wichern.  He 
took  hold  with  the  firm  hope  that  the  moral  power  of  the  word  of  God 
is  competent  even  to  such  a  task.  His  means  are  prayer,  the  Bible, 
singing,  affectionate  conversation,  severe  punishment  when  unavoidable, 
and  constant  steady  employment,  in  useful  labor.  On  one  occasion, 
when  every  other  means  seemed  to  fail,  he  collected  the  children 
together,  and  read  to  them,  in  the  words  of  the  New  Testament,  the 
simple  narrative  of  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ,  with  some  re- 
marks on  the  design  and  object  of  his  mission  to  this  world.  The 
effect  was  wonderful.  They  burst  into  tears  of  contrition,  and  dur- 
ing the  whole  of  that  term,  from  June  till  October,  the  influence  of 
this  scene  was  visible  in  all  their  conduct.  The  idea  that  takes  so 
strong  a  hold  when  the  character  of  Christ  is  exhibited  to  such  poor 
creatures,  is,  that  they  are  objects  of  affection ;  miserable,  wicked, 
despised  as  they  are,  yet  Christ,  the  son  of  God,  loved  them,  and 
loved  them  enough  to  suffer  and  to  die  for  them — and  still  loves 
them.  The  thought  that  they  can  yet  be  loved,  melts  the  heart,  and 
gives  them  hope,  and  is  a  strong  incentive  to  reformation. 

On  another  occasion,  when  considerable  progress  had  been  made 
in  their  moral  education,  the  Superintendent  discovered  that  some  of 
them  had  taken  nails  from  the  premises,  and  applied  them  to  their 
own  use,  without  permission.  He  called  them  together,  expressed 
his  great  disappointment  and  sorrow  that  they  had  profited  so  little 
by  the  instructions  which  had  been  given  them,  and  told  them  that 
till  he  had  evidence  of  their  sincere  repentance,  he  could  not  admit 
them  to  the  morning  and  evening  religious  exercises  of  his  family. 
With  expressions  of  deep  regret  for  their  sin,  and  with  promises, 
entreaties,  and  tears,  they  begged  to  have  this  privilege  restored  to 
them  ;  but  he  was  firm  in  his  refusal.  A  few  evenings  afterward, 
while  walking  in  the  garden,  he  heard  youthful  voices  among  the 
shrubbery  ;  and  drawing  near  unperceived,  he  found  that  the  boys 
had  formed  themselves  into  little  companies  of  seven  or  eight  each, 
and  met  morning  and  evening  in  different  retired  spots  in  the  garden, 
to  sing,  read  the  Bible  and  pray  among  themselves  ;  to  ask  God  to 


24  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.    £|  March, 

forgive  them  the  sins  they  had  committed,  and  to  give  them  strength 
to  resist  temptation  in  future.  With  such  evidence  of  repentance 
he  soon  restored  to  them  the  privilege  of  attending  morning  and 
evening  prayers  with  his  family. — One  morning  soon  after,  on  enter- 
ing his  study,  he  found  it  all  adorned  with  wreaths  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful flowers,  which  the  boys  had  arranged  there  at  early  day-break, 
in  testimony  of  their  joy  and  gratitude  for  his  kindness.  Thus  rap- 
idly had  these  poor  creatures  advanced  in  moral  feeling,  religious 
sensibility,  and  good  taste. 

In  the  spring,  Mr.  Wichern  gives  to  each  boy  a  patch  of  ground 
in  the  garden,  which  he  is  to  call  his  own,  and  cultivate  as  he  pleases. 
One  of  the  boys  began  to  erect  a  little  hut  of  sticks  and  earth  upon 
his  plot,  in  which  he  might  rest  during  the  heat  of  the  day,  and  to 
which  he  might  retire  when  he  wished  to  be  alone.  When  it  was 
all  finished,  it  occurred  to  him  to  dedicate  it  to  its  use  by  religious 
ceremonies.  Accordingly,  he  collected  the  boys  together.  The 
hut  was  adorned  with  wreaths  of  flowers,  a  little  table  was  placed  in 
the  centre  on  which  lay  the  open  Bible,  ornamented  in  the  same 
manner.  He  then  read  with  great  seriousness  the  14th,  15,  and 
24th  verses  of  the  cxvui.  Psalm  : 

"  The  Lord  is  my  strength  and  my  song,  and  is  become  my  salvation." 

"  The  voice  of  rejoicing  and  salvation  is  heard  in  the  tabernacles  of  the  righteous." 

"  This  is  the  day  which  the  Lord  hath  made.    We  will  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  it." 

After  this,  the  exercises  were  concluded  by  singing  and  prayer. 
Another  boy  afterwards  built  him  a  hut,  which  was  to  be  dedicated 
in  a  similar  way  ;  but  when  the  boys  came  together,  they  saw  in  it  a 
piece  of  timber  which  belonged  to  the  establishment,  and  ascertain- 
ing that  it  had  been  taken  without  permission,  they  at  once  demolish- 
ed the  whole"edifice,  and  restored  the  timber  to  its  place.  At  the 
time  of  harvest,  when  they  first  entered  the  field  to  gather  the  pota- 
toes, before  commencing  the  work,  they  formed  into  a  circle,  and 
much  to  the  surprise  of  the  Superintendent,  broke  out  together  into 
the  harvest  hymn  : 

"  Now  let  us  all  thank  God." 

After  singing  this,  they  fell  to  their  work  with  great  cheerfulness  and 
vigor. 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  25 

I  mention  these  instances,  from  numerous  others  which  might  be 
produced,  to  show  how  much  may  be  done  in  reclaiming  the  most 
hopeless  youthful  offenders  by  a  judicious  application  of  the  right 
means  of  moral  influence.  How  short-sighted  and  destructive,  then, 
is  the  policy  which  would  exclude  such  influence  from  our  public 
institutions  !  The  same  effects  have  been  produced  by  houses  of 
reformation  in  our  own  country.  I  would  mention,  as  one  instance, 
the  institution  of  Mr.  Welles  in  Massachusetts. 

Now,  laying  aside  all  considerations  of  benevolence  and  of  reli- 
gious obligation,  is  it  not  for  the  highest  good  of  the  State,  that  these 
minds  should  be  withdrawn  from  vice  and  trained  up  to  be  enlight- 
ened and  useful  citizens,  contributing  a  large  share  to  the  public 
wealth,  virtue  and  happiness  ;  rather  than  that  they  should  come  for- 
ward in  life  miserable  criminals,  of  no  use  to  themselves  or  the  pub- 
lic, depredating  on  the  property  and  violating  the  rights  of  the  indus- 
trious citizens,  increasing  the  public  burdens  by  their  crimes,  endan- 
gering the  well  being  of  society,  and  undermining  our  liberties  ! 
They  can  be  either  the  one  or  the  other,  according  as  we  choose  to 
educate  them  ourselves  in  the  right  way,  or  leave  them  to  be  edu- 
cated by  the  thieves  and  drunkards  in  our  streets,  or  the  convicts  in 
our  prisons.  The  efforts  made  by  some  foreign  nations  to  educate 
this  part  of  their  population,  is  a  good  lesson  for  us.  All  the  schools 
and  houses  of  reformation  in  Prussia,  do  not  cost  the  government  so 
much  as  old  England  is  obliged  to  expend  in  prisons  and  constables 
for  the  regulation  of  that  part  of  her  population,  for  which  the  gov- 
ernment provides  no  schools  but  the  hulks  and  the  jails  ;  and  I  leave 
it  to  any  one  to  say  which  arrangement  produces  the  greatest  amount 
of  public  happiness. 

When  I  was  in  Berlin  I  went  into  the  public  prison,  and  visited 
every  part  of  the  establishment.  At  last  I  was  introduced  to  a  very 
large  hall  which  was  full  of  children,  with  their  books  and  teachers, 
and  having  all  the  appearance  of  a  common  Prussian  school-room. 
"  What,  said  I,  is  it  possible  that  all  these  children  are  imprisoned 
here  for  crime  ?"  "Oh  no,"  said  my  conductor,  smiling  at  my 
simplicity,  "but  if  a  parent  is  imprisoned  for  crime,  and  on  that  ac- 
count his  children  are  left  destitute  of  the  means  of  education,  and 
liable  to  grow  up  in  ignorance  and  crime,  the  government  has  them 
4 


26  PROFESSOR   STOWE'S   REPORT.         March, 

taken  here,  and  maintained  and  educated  for  useful  employment." 
The  thought  brought  tears  to  my  eyes.  This  was  anew  idea  to  me. 
I  know  not  that  it  has  ever  been  suggested  in  the  United  States  ;  but 
surely  it  is  the  duty  of  government,  as  well  as  its  highest  interest, 
when  a  man  is  paying  the  penalty  of  his  crime  in  a  public  prison,  to 
see  that  his  unoffending  children  are  not  left  to  suffer,  and  to  inherit 
their  father's  vices.  Surely  it  would  be  better  for  the  child,  and 
cheaper  as  well  as  better,  for  the  State.  Let  it  not  be  supposed 
that  a  man  would  go  to  prison  for  the  sake  of  having  his  children 
taken  care  of,  for  they  who  go  to  prison  usually  have  little  regard  for 
their  children  ;  and  if  they  had,  discipline  like  that  of  the  Berlin 
prison  would  soon  sicken  them  of  such  a  bargain. 

Where  education  is  estimated  according  to  its  real  value,  people 
are  willing  to  expend  money  for  the  support  of  schools  ;  and  if  ne- 
cessary, to  deny  themselves  some  physical  advantages  for  the  sake 
of  giving  their  children  the  blessings  of  moral  and  intellectual  cul- 
ture. In  the  government  of  Baden,  four  per  cent  of  all  the  public 
expense  is  for  education — they  have  a  school  with  an  average  of 
two  or  three  well  qualified  teachers  to  every  three  miles  of  territory, 
and  every  one  hundred  children  ;  and  that  too,  when  the  people  are 
so  poor  that  they  can  seldom  afford  any  other  food  than  dry  barley- 
bread,  and  a  farmer  considers  it  a  luxury  to  be  able  to  allow  his  fami- 
ly the  use  of  butter-milk  three  or  four  times  a  year.  In  Prussia, 
palaces  and  convents  are  every  where  turned  into  houses  of  educa- 
tion ;  and  accommodations  originally  provided  for  princes  and  bish- 
ops are  not  considered  too  good  for  the  schoolmaster  and  his  pupils. 
But,  though  occupying  palaces,  they  have  no  opportunity  to  be  idle 
or  luxurious.  Hard  labor  and  frugal  living  are  every  where  the  in- 
dispensable conditions  to  a  teacher's  life,  and  I  must  say,  that  I  have 
no  particular  wish  that  it  should  be  otherwise  ;  for  it  is  only  those 
who  are  willing  to  work  hard  and  live  frugally,  that  ever  do  much 
good  in  such  a  world  as  this. 

I  pass  now  to  the  consideration  of  a  question  of  the  deepest  in- 
terest to  us  all,  and  that  is,  can  the  common  schools  in  our  State  be 
made  adequate  to  the  wants  of  our  population  ?  I  do  not  hesitate 
to  answer  this  question  decidedly  in  the  affirmative  ;  and  to  show 
that  I  give  this  answer  on  good  grounds,  I  need  only  to  state  the 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  27 

proper  object  of  education,  and  lay  before  you  what  is  actually  now 
done  towards  accomplishing  this  object  in  the  common  schools  of 
Prussia  and  Wirtemberg. 

What  is  the  proper  object  of  education?  The  proper  object  of  ed- 
ucation is  a  thorough  developement  of  all  the  intellectual  and  moral 
powers — the  awakening  and  calling  forth  of  every  talent  that  may 
exist,  even  in  the  remotest  and  obscurest  corner  of  the  State,  and 
giving  it  a  useful  direction.  A  system  that  will  do  this,  and  such  a 
system  only,  do  I  consider  adequate  to  the  wants  of  our  population  ; 
such  a  system,  and  such  a  system  only,  can  avert  all  the  evils  and 
produce  all  the  benefits  which  our  common  schools  were  designed  to 
avert  and  produce.  True,  such  a  system  must  be  far  more  exten- 
sive and  complete  than  any  now  in  operation  among  us — teachers 
must  be  more  numerous,  skilful,  persevering,  and  self-denying — pa- 
rents must  take  greater  interest  in  the  schools  and  do  more  for  their 
support — and  the  children  must  attend  punctually  and  regularly,  till 
the  whole  prescribed  course  is  completed.  All  this  can  be  done, 
and  I  hope  will  be  done  ;  and  to  show  that  the  thing  is  really  practi- 
cable, I  now  ask  your  attention  to  the  course  of  instruction  in  the 
common  schools  of  Prussia  and  Wirtemberg,  and  other  European 
States,  which  have  done  the  most  in  the  matter  of  public  instruction. 

COURSE  OF  INSTRUCTION    IN  THE   COMMON    SCHOOLS  OF    PRUSSIA 
AND    WIRTEMBERG. 

The  whole  course  comprises  eight  years,  and  includes  children 
from  the  ages  of  six  till  fourteen  ;  and  it  is  divided  into  four  parts,  of 
two  years  each.  It  is  a  6rst  principle,  that  the  children  be  well  ac- 
commodated as  to  house  and  furniture.  The  school-room  must  be 
well  constructed,  the  seats  convenient,  and  the  scholars  made  com- 
fortable, and  kept  interested.  The  younger  pupils  are  kept  at  school 
but  four  hours  in  the  day — two  in  the  morning  and  two  in  the  even- 
ing, with  a  recess  at  the  close  of  each  hour.  The  older,  six  hours, 
broken  by  recesses  as  often  as  is  necessary.  Most  of  the  school- 
houses  have  a  bathing  place,  a  garden  and  a  mechanics 'shop  attached 
to  them,  to  promote  the  cleanliness  and  health  of  the  children,  and 
to  aid  in  mechanical  and  agricultural  instruction.  It  will  be  seen  by 


28  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.         March, 

the  schedule  which  follows,  that  a  vast  amount  of  instruction  is  given 
during  these  eight  years — and,  lest  it  should  seem  that  so  many 
branches  must  confuse  the  young  mind,  and  that  they  must  necessa- 
rily be  but  partially  taught,  I  will  say  in  the  outset,  that  the  industry, 
skill  and  energy  of  teachers  regularly  trained  to  their  business,  and 
depending  entirely  upon  it  ;  the  modes  of  teaching  ;  the  habit  of  al- 
ways finishing  whatever  is  begun  ;  the  perfect  method  which  is  pre- 
served ;  the  entire  punctuality  and  regularity  of  attendence  on  the 
part  of  the  scholars  ;  and  other  things  of  this  kind,  facilitate  a  rapidi- 
ty and  exactness  of  acquisition  and  discipline,  which  may  well  seem 
incredible  to  those  who  have  never  witnessed  it. 

The  greatest  care  is  taken  that  acquisition  does  not  go  beyond  dis- 
cipline ;  and  that  the  taxation  of  mind  be  kept  entirely  and  clearly 
within  the  constitutional  capacity  of  mental  and  physical  endurance. 
The  studies  must,  never  weary,  but  always  interest — the  appetite  for 
knowledge  must  never  be  cloyed,  but  be  kept  always  sharp  and 
eager.  These  purposes  are  greatly  aided  by  the  frequent  inter- 
change of  topics,  and  by  lively  conversational  exercises.  Before 
the  child  is  even  permitted  to  learn  his  letters,  he  is  under  conversa- 
tional instruction,  frequently  for  six  months  or  a  year ;  and  then  a 
single  week  is  sufficient  to  introduce  him  into  intelligible  and  accu- 
rate plain  reading. 

Every  week  is  systematically  divided,  and  every  hour  appropriated. 
The  scheme  for  the  week  is  written  on  a  large  sheet  of  paper, 
and  fixed  in  a  prominent  part  of  the  school-room,  so  that  every 
scholar  knows  what  his  business  will  be  for  every  hour  in  the  week  ; 
and  the  plan  thus  marked  out  is  rigidly  followed.  As  a  specimen  I 
present  the  following  study  sheet  given  me  by  Dr.  Diesterweg,  of 
Berlin,  and  which  was  the  plan  for  his  school  when  I  visited  it  in 
September,  1836. 


1838. 


HOUSE— No.  64. 


WEEKLY  COURSE  OF  STUDY 

In  the  Teachers'  Seminary  and  Boys'  School,  under  the  care  of  DR.  DIESTERWEG,  at  Berlin,  in  the  summer  term,  1836. 

The  Teachers'  Seminary  is  divided  into  three  classes,  which  are  designated  by  the  Roman  numerals  on  the  left  hand  of  the  columns,  and 
the  Hoys'  School  into  six,  designated  by  the  Arabic  figures  in  the  same  column.  The  students  in  the  Teachers'  Seminary  are  employed  as 
instructers  in  the  Boys'  School,  under  the  inspection  of  their  teachers.  The  capital  letters  at  the  right  hand  of  the  columns  are  the  initials 
of  the  teachers  who  superintend  the  class  in  the  particular  branch  mentioned.  The  whole  number  of  instructers,  exclusive  of  the  pupils  in 
the  teachers'  department,  is  six. 

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1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  31 

Through  all  the  parts  of  the  course  there  are  frequent  reviexvs  and 
repetitions,  that  the  impressions  left  on  the  mind  may  be  distinct, 
lively  and  permanent.  The  exercises  of  the  day  are  always  com- 
menced and  closed  with  a  short  prayer  ;  and  the  bible  and  hymn 
book  are  the  first  volumes  put  into  the  pupil's  hands,  and  these  books 
they  always  retain  and  keep  in  constant  use  during  the  whole  pro- 
gress of  their  education. 

The  general  outline  of  the  eight  years'  course  is  nearly  as  follows: 
I.     First  part,  of  two  years,  including  children  from  six  to  eight 
years  old — -four  principal  branches,  namely: 

1.  Logical  Exercises,  or  oral  teaching  in  the  exercise  of  the 
powers  of  observation  and  expression,  including  religious  instruction 
and  the  singing  of  hymns  ; 

2.  Elements  of  Reading  ; 

3.  Elements  of  Writing  ; 

4.  Elements  of  Number,  or  Arithmetic. 

II.  Second  part,  of  two  years,  including  children  from  eight  to 
ten  years  old — seven  principal  branches,  namely: 

1.  Exercises  in  Reading  ; 

2.  Exercises  in  Writing  ; 

3.  Religious  and  Moral  Instruction,  in  select  Bible  Narratives  ; 

4.  Language,  or  Grammar  ; 

5.  Numbers,  or  Arithmetic  ; 

6.  Doctrine  of  space  and  form,  or  Geometry  ; 

7.  Singing  by  note,  or  Elements  of  Music. 

III.  Third  part,  of  two  years,  including  children  from  ten  to 
tioelve  years  old — eight  principal  branches: 

1.  Exercises  in  Reading  and  Elocution  ; 

2.  Exercises  in  Ornamental  Writing,  preparatory  to  drawing  ; 

3.  Religious  Instruction  in  the  connected  Bible  history  ; 

4.  Language,  or  Grammar,  with  parsing  ; 

5.  Real  Instruction,  or  knowledge  of  nature  and  the  external 
world,  including  the  first  elements  of  the  sciences  and  the  arts  of  life 
— of  geography  and  history  ; 

6.  Arithmetic,  continued  through  fractions  and  the  rules  of  pro- 
portion ; 

7.  Geometry — doctrine  of  magnitudes  and  measures  ; 

8.  Singing,  and  science  of  vocal  and  instrumental  music. 


32  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.        March, 

IV.  Fourth  part,  of  two  years,  including  children  from  twelve  to 
fourteen  years  old — six  principal  branches,  namely: 

1.  Religious  Instruction  in  the  religious   observation  of  nature  ; 
the  life  and  discourses  of  Jesus  Christ ;  the  history  of  the  Christian 
religion,  in  connection  with  the  cotemporary  civil  history ;  and  the 
doctrines  of  Christianity  ; 

2.  Knowledge  of  the  world,   and  of  mankind,   including   civil 
society,  elements  of  law,  agriculture,  mechanic  arts,  manufactures, 
&c.  ; 

3.  Language,  and  exercises  in  composition  ; 

4.  Application  of  arithmetic  and  the  mathematics  to  the  business 
of  life,  including  surveying  and  civil  engineering  ; 

5.  Elements  of  Drawing  ; 

6.  Exercises  in  Singing,  and  the  science  of  music. 

We  subjoin  a  few  specimens  of  the  modes  of  teaching  under  sev- 
eral of  the  above  divisions. 

I.    First  part,  Children  from  six  to  eight  years  of  age. 

1.  Conversations  between  the  teacher  and  pupils,  intended  to  ex- 
ercise the  powers  of  observation  and  expression. 

The  teacher  brings  the  children  around  him,  and  engages  them  in 
familiar  conversation  with  himself.  He  generally  addresses  them 
altogether,  and  they  all  reply  simultaneously  ;  but  whenever  necessa- 
ry, he  addresses  an  individual,  and  requires  the  individual  to  answer 
alone.  He  first  directs  their  attention  to  the  different  objects  in  the 
school-room,  their  position,  form,  color,  size,  materials  of  which  they 
are  made,  &c.,  and  requires  precise  and  accurate  descriptions.  He 
then  requires  them  to  notice  the  various  objects  that  meet  their  eye 
in  the  way  to  their  respective  homes  ;  and  a  description  of  these  ob- 
jects and  the  circumstances  under  which  they  saw  them,  will  form 
the  subject  of  the  next  morning's  lesson.  Then  the  house  in  which 
they  live  ;  the  shop  in  which  their  father  works  ;  the  garden  in  which 
they  walk,  &c.,  will  be  the  subject  of  the  successive  lessons  ;  and  in 
this  way  for  six  months  or  a  year,  the  children  are  taught  to  study 
things,  to  use  their  own  powers  of  observation,  and  speak  with 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  33 

readiness  and  accuracy,  before  books  are  put  into  their  hands  at  all. 
A  few  specimens  will  make  the  nature  and  utility  of  this  mode  of 
teaching  perfectly  obvious. 

In  a  school  in  Berlin  a  boy  has  assigned  him  for  a  lesson,  a  de- 
scription of  the  remarkable  objects  in  certain  directions  from  the 
school-house,  which  is  situated  in  Little  Cathedral  street.  He 
proceeds  as  follows:  "  When  I  come  out  of  the  school-house  in- 
to Little  Cathedral  street,  and  turn  to  the  right,  I  soon  pass  on 
my  left  hand  the  Maria  place,  the  Gymnasium  and  the  Anklam 
gate.  When  I  come  out  of  Little  Cathedral  street,  I  see  on  my 
left  hand  the  White  Parade  place,  and  within  that,  at  a  little  dis- 
tance, the  beautiful  statue  of  Frederick  the  Great,  King  of  Prus- 
sia. It  is  made  of  white  marble,  and  stands  on  a  pedestal  of  va- 
riegated marble,  and  is  fenced  in  with  an  iron  railing.  From 
here,  I  have  on  my  right  a  small  place,  which  is  a  continuation 
of  the  Parade  Place ;  and  at  the  end  of  this,  near  the  wall,  I  see 
St.  Peter's  Church,  or  the  Wall  street  church,  as  it  is  sometimes 
called.  This  church  has  a  green  yard  before  it,  planted  with  trees, 
which  is  called  the  Wall  Church  Yard.  St.  Peter's  Church  is  the 
oldest  church  in  the  city  ;  it  has  a  little  round  tower,  which  looks 
green,  because  it  is  mostly  covered  with  copper,  which  is  made  green 
by  exposure  to  the  weather.  When  I  go  out  of  the  school-house 
to  the  lower  part  of  Little  Cathedral  street  by  the  Coal  market, 
through  Shoe  street  and  Carriage  street,  I  come  to  the  Castle.  The 
Castle  is  a  large  building,  with  two  small  towers,  and  is  built  around 
a  square  yard,  which  is  called  the  Castle  yard.  In  the  Castle  there 
are  two  churches,  and  the  King  and  his  Ministers  of  State,  and  the 
Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  Consistory  of  the  Church,  hold 
their  meetings  there.  From  the  Coal  market,  I  go  through  Shoe 
street  to  the  Hay  market,  and  adjoining  this  is  the  New  Market, 
which  was  formed  after  St.  Nicholas'  Church  was  burnt,  which 
formerly  stood  in  that  place.  Between  the  Hay  market  and  the 
New  market  is  the  City  Hall,  where  the  officers  and  magistrates  of 
the  city  hold  their  meetings." 

If  a  garden  is  given  to  a  class  for  a  lesson,  they  are  asked  the  size 
of  the  garden,  its  shape,  which  they  may  draw  on  a  slate  with  a  pen- 
cil— whether  there  are  trees  in  it — what  the  different  parts  of  a  tree 
5 


34  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.         March, 

are — what  parts  grow  in  the  spring,  and  what  parts  decay  in  autumn, 
and  what  parts  remain  the  same  throughout  the  winter — whether  any 
of  the  trees  are  fruit  trees — what  fruits  they  bear — when  they  ripen 
— how  they  look  and  taste — whether  the  fruit  be  wholesome  or 
otherwise — whether  it  is  prudent  to  eat  much  of  it ; — what  plants 
and  roots  there  are  in  the  garden,  and  what  use  is  made  of  them — 
what  flowers  there  are,  and  how  they  look,  &c.  The  teacher  may 
then  read  them  the  description  of  the  garden  of  Eden  in  the  second 
chapter  of  Genesis — sing  a  hymn  with  them,  the  imagery  of  which 
is  taken  from  the  fruits  and  blossoms  of  a  garden,  and  explain  to 
them  how  kind  and  bountiful  God  is,  who  gives  us  such  wholesome 
plants  and  fruits,  and  such  beautiful  flowers,  for  our  nourishment  and 
gratification. 

The  external  heavens  also  make  an  interesting  lesson.  The  sky 
— its  appearance  and  color  at  different  times  ;  the  clouds — their 
color,  their  varying  form  and  movements  ;  the  sun — its  rising  and 
setting,  its  concealment  by  clouds,  its  warming  the  earth  and  giving 
it  life  and  fertility,  its  great  heat  in  summer,  and  the  danger  of  being 
exposed  to  it  unprotected  ;  the  moon — its  appearance  by  night,  full, 
gibbous,  horned  ;  its  occasional  absence  from  the  heavens  ;  the  stars 
— their  shining,  difference  among  them,  their  number,  distance  from 
us,  &c.  In  this  connection  the  teacher  may  read  to  them  the  eigh- 
teenth and  nineteenth  Psalms,  and  other  passages  of  scripture  of  that 
kind,  sing  with  them  a  hymn  celebrating  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
creation,  and  enforce  the  moral  bearing  of  such  contemplations  by 
appropriate  remarks.  A  very  common  lesson  is,  the  family  and 
family  duties — love  to  parents,  love  to  brothers  and  sisters — con- 
cluding with  appropriate  passages  from  scripture,  and  singing  a  fam- 
ily hymn. 

2d.  Elements  of  Reading. 

After  a  suitable  time  spent  in  the  exercises  above  described,  the 
children  proceed  to  learn  the  elements  of  reading.  The  first  step 
is  to  exercise  the  organs  of  sound,  till  they  have  perfect  command 
of  their  vocal  powers,  and  this,  after  the  previous  discipline  in  con- 
versation and  singing,  is  a  task  soon  accomplished.  They  are  then 
taught  to  utter  distinctly  all  the  vowel  sounds.  The  characters  or 
letters  representing  these  sounds  are  then  shown  and  described  to 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  35 

them  till  the  form  and  power  of  each  are  distinctly  impressed  upon 
their  memories.  The  same  process  is  then  gone  through  in  respect 
to  diphthongs  and  consonants.  Last  of  all,  after  having  acquired  a 
definite  and  distinct  view  of  the  different  sounds,  and  of  the  forms 
of  the  letters  which  respectively  represent  these  sounds,  they  are 
taught  the  names  of  these  letters,  with  the  distinct  understanding  that 
the  name  of  a  letter  and  the  power  of  a  letter,  are  two  very  different 
things. 

They  are  now  prepared  to  commence  reading.  The  letters  are 
printed  in  large  form  on  square  cards,  the  class  stands  up  before  a 
sort  of  rack,  the  teacher  holds  the  cards  in  his  hand,  places  one 
upon  the  rack,  and  a  conversation  of  this  kind  passes  between  him 
and  his  pupils  :  What  letter  is  that  ?  H.  He  places  another  on  the 
rack — What  letter  is  that  ?  A.  I  now  put  these  two  letters  to- 
gether, thus,  (moving  the  cards  close  together),  HA — What  sound 
do  these  two  letters  signify  ?  Ha.  There  is  another  letter — What 
letter  is  that  ?  (putting  it  on  the  rack.)  R.  I  now  put  this  third 
letter  to  the  other  two,  thus,  HAR — What  sound  do  the  three  let- 
ters make  ?  Har.  There  is  another  letter — What  is  it  ?  D.  I 
join  this  letter  to  the  other  three,  thus,  HARD — What  do  they  all 
made  ?  Hard.  Then  he  proceeds  in  the  same  way  with  the  let- 
ters F-I-S-T  ;  joins  these  four  letters  to  the  preceding  four,  HARD- 
FIST,  and  the  pupils  pronounce,  Hard-fist.  Then  with  the  letters 
E  and  D,  and  joins  these  two  to  the  preceding  eight,  and  the  pupils 
pronounce  Hard-fisted.  In  this  way  they  are  taught  to  read  words 
of  any  length — (for  you  may  easily  add  to  the  above,  N-E-S-S,  and 
make  Hard-fisledness) — the  longest  as  easily  as  the  shortest  ;  and 
in  fact  they  learn  their  letters  ;  they  learn  to  read  words  of  one  sylla- 
ble and  of  several  syllables,  and  to  read  in  plain  reading  by  the  same 
process  at  the  same  moment.  After  having  completed  a  sentence, 
or  several  sentences,  with  the  cards  and  rack,  they  then  proceed  to 
read  the  same  words  and  sentences  in  their  spelling  books. 

3.     Elements  of  Writing. 

The  pupils  are  first  taught  the  right  position  of  the  arms  and 
body  in  writing,  the  proper  method  of  holding  the  pen,  &c.  ;  and 
are  exercised  on  these  points  till  their  habits  are  formed  correctly. 
The  different  marks  used  in  writing  are  then  exhibited  to  them,  from 


36  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.         March, 

the  simple  point  or  straight  line,  to  the  most  complex  figure.  The 
variations  of  form  and  position  which  they  are  capable  of  assuming, 
and  the  different  parts  of  which  the  complex  figures  are  composed 
are  carefully  described,  and  the  student  is  taught  to  imitate  them, 
beginning  with  the  most  simple,  then  the  separate  parts  of  the  com- 
plex, then  the  joining  of  the  several  parts  to  a  whole,  with  his  pencil 
and  slate.  After  having  acquired  facility  in  this  exercise  he  is  pre- 
pared to  write  with  his  ink  and  paper.  The  copy  is  written  upon 
the  black-board  ;  the  paper  is  laid  before  each  member  of  the  class, 
and  each  has  his  pen  ready  in  his  hand  awaiting  the  word  of  his 
teacher.  If  the  copy  be  the  simple  point,  or  line  /,  the  teacher 
repeats  the  syllable  one,  one,  slowly  at  first,  and  with  gradually  in- 
creasing speed,  and  at  each  repetition  of  the  sound  the  pupils  write. 
In  this  way  they  learn  to  make  the  mark  both  correctly  and  rapidly. 
If  the  figure  to  be  copied  consist  of  two  strokes,  (thus,  /,)  the 
teacher  pronounces  one,  two,  one  two,  slowly  at  first,  and  then  rap- 
idly as  before  ;  and  the  pupils  make  the  first  mark,  and  then  the 
second,  at  the  sound  of  each  syllable  as  before.  If  the  figure  con- 
sist of  three  strokes,  (thus,  ^,)  the  teacher  pronounces  one,  /too, 
three,  and  the  pupils  write  as  before.  So  when  they  come  to 
make  letters — the  letter  a  has  five  strokes,  thus,  a-  When  that  is 
the  copy,  the  teacher  says  deliberately,  one,  two,  three,  four,  five, 
and  at  the  sound  of  each  syllable  the  different  strokes  composing  the 
letter  are  made  ;  the  speed  of  utterance  is  gradually  accelerated,  till 
finally  the  a  is  made  very  quickly,  and  at  the  same  time  neatly.  By 
this  method  of  teaching,  a  plain,  neat  and  quick  hand  is  easily  ac- 
quired. 

4.  Elements  of  Number,  or  Arithmetic. 

In  this  branch  of  instruction  I  saw  no  improvements  in  the  mode 
of  teaching  not  already  substantially  introduced  into  the  best  schools 
of  our  own  country.  I  need  not,  therefore,  enter  into  any  details 
respecting  them — excepting  so  far  as  to  say  that  the  student  is  taught 
to  demonstrate  and  perfectly  to  understand  the  reason  and  nature  of 
every  rule  before  he  uses  it. 

(See  Arithmetics,  by  Colburn,  Ray,  Miss  Beecher  and  others.) 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  37 


II.   Second  part — Children  from  eight  to  ten  years  of  age. 

1.  Exercises  in  Reading. 

The  object  of  these  exercises  in  this  part  of  the  course,  is  to 
acquire  the  habit  of  reading  with  accuracy  and  readiness,  with  due 
regard  to  punctuation,  and  with  reference  to  orthography.  Some- 
times the  whole  class  read  together,  and  sometimes  an  individual  by 
himself,  in  order  to  accustom  them  to  both  modes  of  reading,  and  to 
secure  the  advantages  of  both.  The  sentence  is  first  gone  through 
with  in  the  class,  by  distinctly  spelling  each  word  as  it  occurs  ;  then 
by  pronouncing  each  word  distinctly  without  spelling  it ;  a  third 
time,  by  pronouncing  the  words  and  mentioning  the  punctuation 
points  as  they  occur.  A  fourth  time,  the  sentence  is  read  with  the 
proper  pauses  indicated  by  the  punctuation  points,  without  mention- 
ing them.  Finally,  the  same  sentence  is  read  with  particular  atten- 
tion to  the  intonations  of  the  voice.  Thus,  one  thing  is  taken  at  a 
time,  and  pupils  must  become  thorough  in  each  as  it  occurs,  before 
they  proceed  to  the  next.  One  great  benefit  of  the  class  reading  to- 
gether is,  that  each  individual  has  the  same  amount  of  exercise  as  if 
he  were  the  only  one  under  instruction,  his  attention  can  never  falter, 
and  no  part  of  the  lesson  escapes  him.  A  skilful  teacher  once  ac- 
customed to  this  mode  of  reading,  can  as  easily  detect  any  fault, 
mispronunciation,  or  a  negligence,  in  any  individual,  as  if  that  indi- 
vidual were  reading  alone. 

The  process  is  sometimes  shortened,  and  the  sentence  read  only 
three  times,  namely — "according  to  the  words,  according  to  the 
punctuation,  according  to  the  life." 

2.  Exercises  in  Writing. 

The  pupils  proceed  to  write  copies  in  joining  hand,  both  large 
and  small,  the  principles  of  teaching  being  essentially  as  described 
in  the  first  part  of  the  course.  The  great  object  here  is,  to  obtain 
a  neat,  swift,  business  hand.  Sometimes  without  a  copy  they  write 
from  the  dictation  of  the  teacher  ;  and  in  most  cases  instruction  in 
orthography  and  punctuation  is  combined  with  that  in  penmanship. 
They  are  also  taught  to  make  and  mend  their  own  pens,  and  in 
doing  this  to  be  economical  of  their  quills. 


38  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.        March, 

3.  Religious  and  moral  instruction  in  select  Bible  narratives. 

In  this  branch  of  teaching  the  methods  are  various,  and  the  teacher 
adopts  the  method  best  adapted  in  his  judgment,  to  the  particular 
circumstances  of  his  own  school,  or  to  the  special  objects  which  he 
may  have  in  view  with  a  particular  class.  Sometimes  he  calls  the 
class  around  him  and  relates  to  them,  in  his  own  language,  some  of 
the  simple  narratives  of  the  Bible  or  reads  it  to  them  in  the  words 
of  the  Bible  itself,  or  directs  one  of  the  children  to  read  it  aloud  ; 
and  then  follows  a  friendly,  familiar  conversation  between  him  and 
the  class  ;  respecting  the  narrative,  their  little  doubts  are  proposed 
and  resolved,  their  questions  put  and  answered,  and  the  teacher 
unfolds  the  moral  and  religious  instruction  to  be  derived  from  the 
lesson,  and  illustrates  it  by  appropriate  quotations  from  the  didactic 
and  preceptive  parts  of  the  scripture.  Sometimes  he  explains  to 
the  class  a  particular  virtue  or  vice — a  truth  or  a  duty  ;  and  after 
having  clearly  shown  what  it  is,  he  takes  some  Bible  narrative  which 
strongly  illustrates  the  point  in  discussion,  reads  it  to  them,  and 
directs  their  attention  to  it  with  special  reference  to  the  preceding 
narrative. 

A  specimen  or  two  of  these  different  methods  will  best  show 
what  they  are  : 

(a)  Read  the  narrative  of  the  birth  of  Christ  as  given  by  Luke 
2  :  1-20.  Observe,  Christ  was  born  for  the  salvation  of  men,  so 
also  for  the  salvation  of  children.  Christ  is  the  children's  friend. 
Heaven  rejoices  in  the  good  of  men.  Jesus,  though  so  great  and 
glorious,  makes  his  appearance  in  a  most  humble  condition.  He  is 
the  teacher  of  the  poor,  as  well  as  of  the  rich. 

With  these  remarks  compare  other  texts  of  the  Bible  : 

"  Jno.  3  :  16.  For  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  son,  that  who- 
soever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life." 

"  I.  Juo.  4:9.  In  this  was  manifested  the  love  of  God  towards  us  ;  because  God  sent  his 
only  begotten  son  into  the  world  that  we  might  live  through  him." 

"  Mark  10  :  14,  15.  But  when  Jesus  saw  it  he  was  much  displeased,  and  said  unto  them, 
suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God  :  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child,  he  shall  not  enter 
therein." 

And  the  lesson  is  concluded  with  singing  a  Christmas  Hymn. 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  39 

Jesus  feeds  five  thousand  men  :     Jno.  6  :  1-14. 

God  can  bless  a  little  so  that  it  will  do  great  good. 

Economy  suffers  nothing  to  be  lost — other  texts  Ps.  145  :  15, 16. 

'•  The  eyes  of  all  wait  upon  thee,  and  thou  g-ivest  them  their  meat  in  due  season." 

"  Thou  openest  thy  hand  and  satisfies!  the  desire  of  every  living  thing."    Matt.  6 :  31  33. 

Story  of  Cain  and  Abel.     Gen.  4  :  1-16. 

Remarks. — Two  men  may  do  the  same  thing  externally,  and  yet 
the  merit  of  their  acts  be  very  different.  God  looks  at  the  heart. 
Be  careful  not  to  cherish  envy  or  ill  will  in  the  heart.  You  know 
not  to  what  crimes  they  may  lead  you.  Remorse  and  misery  of  the 
fratricide — other  texts.  Matt.  15:  19.  Heb.  11  :  4.  I.  Jno. 
3  :  12.  Job,  34  :  32. 

"  19.  For  out  of  the  heart  proceed  evil  thoughts,  murders,  adulteries,  fornications,  thefts, 
false  witness,  blasphemies." 

"  4.  By  faith  Abel  offered  unto  God  a  more  excellent  sacrifice  than  Cain,  by  which  he 
obtained  witness,  that  he  was  righteous,  God  testifying  of  his  gifts ;  and  by  it  he,  being 
dead,  yet  speaketh." 

"  12.  Not  as  Cain  who  was  of  that  wicked  one,  and  slew  his  brother.  And  wherefore 
slew  he  him  ?  Because  his  own  works  were  evil,  and  his  brother's  righteous." 

Story  of  Jesus  in  the  Temple.     Luke  2:  41-52. 

Jesus  in  his  childhood  was  very  fond  of  learning — (he  heard  and 
asked  questions  ;)  God's  Word  was  his  delight,  he  understood  what 
he  heard  and  read — (men  were  astonished  at  his  understanding  and 
answers.)  He  carefully  obeyed  his  parents — (he  went  with  them 
and  was  subject  to  them.)  And  as  he  grew  up  his  good  conduct 
endeared  him  to  God  and  man — other  texts.  Eph.  6:  1-4.  Prov. 
3:  1-4. 

'•'  1.    Children  obey  your  parents,  in  the  Lord :  for  this  is  right. 

••  "2.     Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother,  (which  is  the  first  commandment  with  promise  :) 
"  3.    That  it  may  be  well  with  thee,  and  thou  mayest  live  long  on  the  earth. 
"  4.    And,  ye  fathers,  provoke  not  your  children  to  wrath  :  but  bring  them  up  in  the  nur- 
ture and  admonition  of  the  Lord." 

"  1.    My  son,  forget  not  my  law  ;  but  let  thine  heart  keep  my  commandments  : 
"  2.    For  length  of  days,  and  long  life,  and  peace,  shall  they  add  to  thee. 
"  3.    Let  not  mercy  and  truth  forsake  thee  :  bind  them  about  thy  neck  ;  write  them  upon 
the  table  of  thine  heart : 

"  4.    So  shall  thou  find  favor  and  good  understanding  in  the  sight  of  God  and  man. 


40  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.         March, 

On  the  other  mode  of  teaching,  the  teacher  for  example,  states 
the  general  truth,  that  God  protects  and  rewards  the  good,  and  pun- 
ishes the  bad.  In  illustration  of  this  he  reads  to  them  the  narrative 
of  Daniel  in  the  lion's  den,  and  the  death  which  overtook  his  wicked 
accusers.  Dan.  6.  In  illustration  of  the  same  truth,  the  escape  of 
Peter  and  the  miserable  death  of  his  persecutor,  Herod,  may  be 
read.  Acts  12. 

The  teacher  may  impress  upon  the  mind  of  his  class,  that  dili- 
gence, scrupulous  fidelity  and  conscientious  self-control,  are  the  sur- 
est guarantees  of  success  in  life.  And  in  illustration  of  the  state- 
ment, read  the  narrative  of  Joseph's  conduct  in  his  master's  house  in 
Egypt,  and  in  the  prison,  and  in  the  results  of  it.  Gen.  39.  So. 
also,  various  incidents  in  the  life  of  Jesus  may  be  used  to  great  ad- 
vantage in  illustrating  different  virtues. 

It  is  recommended,  that  the  teacher  employ,  in  his  instructions,  the 
translation  of  the  scripture  in  general  use  among  the  people  ;  but  that 
he  occasionally  take  the  original  scriptures  and  read  to  the  children, 
in  his  own  translation,  and  sometimes  use  simple  translations  from 
different  authors,  that  the  children  may  early  learn  to  notice  the  di- 
versities in  different  faithful  translations,  and  see  what  they  really 
amount  to. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  observe,  that  a  teacher  who  under- 
stands his  business,  and  is  faithful  to  his  trust,  will  scrupulously  ab- 
stain from  sectarian  peculiarities,  or  from  casting  odium  on  the  tenets 
of  any  of  the  Christian  denominations.  A  man  who  has  not  magna- 
namity  or  enlargement  of  mind  enough  for  this,  is  not  fit  to  be  em- 
ployed as  a  teacher,  even  in  the  humblest  branches  of  knowledge. 

4.  Language,  or  Grammar. 

The  knowledge  of  the  native  tongue  ;  the  ability  to  use  it  with 
correctness,  facility,  and  power,  is  justly  regarded  as  one  of  the  most 
important  branches  of  common  school  instruction.  It  is  the  princi- 
pal object  of  the  logical  exercises,  or  as  they  may  be  justly  termed, 
the  exercises  in  thinking  and  speaking,  already  described  as  the  first 
subject  of  study  in  the  first  part  of  the  course,  before  the  child  has 
begun  to  use  his  book  at  all. 

In  this  second  part  of  the  course,  grammar  is  taught  directly  and 
scientifically,  yet  by  no  means  in  a  dry  and  technical  manner. — On 


1833.  HOUSE— No.  64.  41 

the  contrary,  technical  terms  are  carefully  avoided,  till  the  child  has 
become  familiar  with  the  nature  and  use  of  the  things  designated  by 
them,  and  he  is  able  to  use  them  as  the  names  of  ideas  which  have  a 
definite  existence  in  his  mind,  and  not  as  awful  sounds  dimly  shadow- 
ing forth  some  mysteries  of  science  into  which  he  has  no  power  to 
penetrate. 

The  first  object  is  to  illustrate  the  different  parts  of  speech,  such 
as  the  noun,  the  verb,  the  adjective,  the  adverb  ;  and  this  is  done  by 
engaging  the  pupil  in  conversation  and  leading  him  to  form  sentences 
in  which  the  particular  part  of  speech  to  be  learned  shall  be  the  most 
important  word,  and  directing  his  attention  to  the  nature  and  use  of 
the  word  in  the  place  where  be  uses  it.  For  example,  let  us  sup- 
pose the  nature  and  use  of  the  adverb  is  to  be  taught: — The  teacher 
writes  upon  the  black-boad  the  words  "here,  there,  near,"  &c.  He 
then  says,  "children  we  are  all  together  in  this  room — by  which  of 
the  \vords  on  the  black-board  can  you  express  this  ?  Children — 
"We  are  all  here."  Teacher — "Now  look  out  of  the  window  and 
see  the  church  ;  what  can  you  say  of  the  church  with  the  second 
word  on  the  black-board?"  Children — "The  church  is  there." 
Teacher — "The  distance  between  us  and  the  church  is  not  great ; 
how  will  you  express  this  by  a  word  on  the  black-board  ?"  Children 
— "  The  church  is  near."  The  fact  that  these  different  words  ex- 
press the  same  sort  of  relations  is  then  explained,  and  accordingly 
that  they  belong  to  the  same  class,  or  are  the  same  part  of  speech. 
The  variations  of  these  words  is  next  explained.  "Children,  you 
say  the  church  is  near,  but  there  is  a  shop  between  us  and  the  church  ; 
what  will  you  say  of  the  shop  ?  Children — "The  shop  is  nearer." 
Teacher — "  But  there  is  a  fence  between  us  and  the  shop.  Now 
when  you  think  of  the  distance  between  us,  the  shop  and  the  fence, 
what  will  you  say  of  the  fence  ?  Children — "  The  fence  is  nearest." 
So  of  other  verbs.  "  The  lark  sings  well.  Compare  the  singing  of 
the  lark  with  that  of  the  canary  bird-  Compare  the  singing  of  the 
nightingale  with  that  of  the  canary  bird."  After  all  the  different  sorts 
of  adverbs  and  their  variations  have  in  this  way  been  illustrated,  and 
the  pupils  understand  that  all  words  of  this  kind  are  called  adverbs, 
the  definition  of  the  adverb  is  given  as  it  stands  in  the  grammar,  and 
the  book  is  put  into  their  hands  to  study  the  chapter  on  this  topic. 
6 


42  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.        March, 

In  this  way  the  pupil  understands  what  he  is  doing  at  every  step  of 
his  progress,  and  his  memory  is  never  burdened  with  mere  names  to 
which  he  can  attach  no  definite  meaning. 

The  mode  of  teaching  the  subsequent  branches  is  founded  on  the 
same  general  principles,  and  it  may  not  be  necessary  to  give  particu- 
lar examples. 

5.  Numbers,  or  Arithmetic. 

6.  Doctrine  of  space  and  form,  or  Geometry. 

7.  Singing  by  note,  or  elements  of  Music. 

The  method  of  teaching  music  has  already  been  successfully  in- 
troduced into  our  own  state,  and  whoever  visits  the  schools  of 
Messrs.  Mason  or  Solomon,  in  Cincinnati,  will  have  a  much  better 
idea  of  what  it  is  than  any  description  can  give ;  nor  will  any  one  who 
visits  these  schools  entertain  a  doubt,  that  all  children,  from  six  to  ten 
years  of  age,  who  are  capable  of  learning  to  read,  are  capable  of 
learning  to  sing,  and  that  this  branch  of  instruction  can  be  introduced 
into  all  our  common  schools  with  the  greatest  advantage,  not  only  to 
the  comfort  and  discipline  of  the  pupils,  but  also  to  their  progress  in 
their  other  studies. 

The  students  are  taught  from  the  black-board.  The  different 
sounds  are  represented  by  lines  of  different  lengths,  by  letters,  by 
figures,  and  by  musical  notes  ;  and  the  pupils  are  thoroughly  drilled 
on  each  successive  principle  before  proceeding  to  the  next. 

III.      Third  part  of  two  years — Children  from  ten  to  twelve. 

1.  Exercises  in  Reading  and  Elocution. 

The  object  of  these  exercises  in  this  part  of  the  course  is  to  ac- 
custom the  pupils  to  read  in  a  natural  and  impressive  manner,  so  as  to 
to  bring  the  full  force  of  the  sentiment  on  those  to  whom  they  read. 
They  are  examined  in  modulation,  emphasis,  and  the  various  intona- 
tions, and  they  often  read  sentences  from  the  black-board  in  which 
the  various  modulations  are  expressed  by  musical  notes  or  curved 
lines. 

The  evils  of  drawling  and  monotone  are  prevented  in  the  outset 
by  the  method  of  teaching,  particularly  the  practice  of  the  whole  class 
reading  together  and  keeping  time.  Short  and  pithy  sentences,  par- 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  43 

ticularly  the  book  of  Proverbs,  are  recommended  as  admirably  adapt- 
ed to  exercises  of  this  kind. 

2.  Ornamental  Writing  introductory  to  Drawing. 

The  various  kinds  of  ornamental  letters  are  here  practised  upon, 
giving  accuracy  to  the  eye  and  steadiness  to  the  hand,  preparatory  to 
skill  in  drawing,  which  comes  into  the  next  part  of  the  course.  The 
pupils  also  practise  writing  sentences  and  letters,  with  neatness,  ra- 
pidity and  correctness. 

3.  Religious  instruction  in  the  connected  Bible  history. 

The  design  here  is  to  give  to  the  student  a  full  and  connected 
view  of  the  whole  Bible  history.  For  this  purpose  large  tables  are 
made  out  and  hung  before  the  students.  These  tables  are  generally 
arranged  in  four  columns  ;  the  first,  containing  the  names  of  the  dis- 
tinguished men  during  a  particular  period  of  Bible  history;  the  second, 
the  dates  ;  the  third,  a  chronological  register  of  events  ;  and  the 
fourth,  the  particular  passages  of  the  Bible  where  the  history  of  these 
persons  and  events  may  be  found.  With  these  tables  before  the  pu- 
pils, the  teacher  himself,  in  his  own  words,  gives  a  brief  conversa- 
tional outline  of  the  principal  characters  and  events  within  a  certain 
period,  and  then  gives  directions  that  the  scriptural  passages  referred 
to,  be  carefully  read.  After  this  is  done  the  usual  recitation  and 
examination  takes  place.  Some  of  the  more  striking  narratives,  such 
as  the  finding  of  Moses  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile  ;  Abraham  offering 
his  son  ;  the  journey  of  the  wise  men  to  do  homage  to  Christ ;  the 
crucifixion  ;  the  conversion  of  Paul,  &c.,  are  committed  to  memory 
in  the  words  of  the  Bible,  and  the  recitation  accompanied  with  the 
singing  of  a  hymn  alluding  to  these  events.  The  moral  instruction 
to  be  derived  from  each  historical  event  is  carefully  impressed  by  the 
teacher.  The  teacher  also  gives  them  a  brief  view  of  the  history  be- 
tween the  termination  of  the  Old  and  the  commencement  of  the  New 
Testament,  that  nothing  may  be  wanting  to  a  complete  and  systema- 
tic view  of  the  whole  ground.  Thus  the  whole  of  the  historical  part 
of  the  Bible  is  studied  thoroughly,  and  systematically,  and  practical- 
ly, without  the  least  sectarian  bias,  and  without  a  moment  being  spent 
on  a  single  idea  that  will  not  be  of  the  highest  use  to  the  scholar  dur- 
ing all  his  future  life. 

4.  Language  and  Grammar. 


44  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.        March, 

There  is  here  a  continuation  of  the  exercises  in  the  preceding  parts 
of  the  course,  in  a  more  scientific  form,  together  with  parsing  of  con- 
nected sentences,  and  writing  from  the  dictation  of  the  teacher,  with 
reference  to  grammar,  orthography  and  punctuation.  The  same 
principle  alluded  to  before,  of  avoiding  technical  terms  till  the  things 
represented  by  those  terms  are  clearly  perceived,  is  here  carefully 
adhered  to.  A  single  specimen  of  the  manner  in  which  the  modes 
and  tenses  of  the  verb  are  taught,  may  be  sufficient  to  illustrate  my 
meaning.  The  teacher  writes  on  the  black-board  a  simple  sentence, 
as,  "The  scholars  learn  well ;"  and  asks  the  class  what  sort  of  a 
sentence  it  is.  They  reply  that  it  is  a  direct  statement  of  a  fact. 
(Teacher.)  Put  it  in  the  form  of  a  command:  (Class.)  Scholars, 
learn  well.  (Teacher.)  Put  it  in  a  question  form.  (Class.)  Do  the 
scholars  learn  well?  (Teacher.)  Of  a  wish.  (Class.)  May  the 
scholars  learn  well !  (Teacher.)  Of  an  exclamation.  (Class.)  How 
well  the  scholars  learn  !  (Teacher.)  The  conditional  form.  (Class.) 
If  the  scholars  learn  well ;  or  should  the  scholars  learn  well.  (Teach- 
er.) Of  necessity.  (Class.)  The  scholars  must  learn  well.  (Teach- 
er.) Of  ability.  (Class.)  The  scholars  can  learn  well,  &c.,  &c. 
They  are  then  taught,  that  the  direct  statement  is  called  the  indicative 
mode  of  the  verb  ;  the  command,  the  imperative  mode  ;  the  condi- 
tional, the  subjunctive  mode  ;  the  wish,  the  potential  mode,  &c.,  &c. 
— and  after  this  the  book  is  put  in  their  hands  and  they  study  the 
lesson  as  it  stands.  After  this  the  different  tenses  of  the  several 
modes  are  taught  in  the  same  way. 

5.  Real  instruction,  or  knowledge  of  nature  and  the  external 
world,  including  the  first  elements  of  the  natural  sciences,  the  arts  of 
life,  geography,  and  history.  Instruction  on  this  head  is  directed  to 
the  answering  of  the  following  questions,  namely  : 

(a)  What  is  man,  as  it  respects  his  corporeal  and  intellectual  na- 
ture ? 

Here  come  anatomy  and  physiology,  so  far  as  the  structure  of 
the  human  body  is  concerned,  and  the  functions  of  its  several  parts. 

Also  the  simple  elements  of  mental  philosophy.  In  this  connec- 
tion appropriate  texts  of  scripture  are  quoted,  as  Gen.  2:  7.  Ps. 
139:  13-16.  An  appropriate  hymn  is  also  sung. 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  45 

"  7.  And  the  Lord  Godji  formed  man  of  the  dust  of  the  ground,  and  breathed  into  his 
nostrils  the  breath  of  life  :/!and  man  became  a  living  soul." 

"  14.  I  will  praise  thee;  for  I  am  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made :  marvellous  are  thy 
works ;  and  that  my  soul  knoweth  right  well. 

'•'  15.  My  substance  was  not  hid  from  thee,  when  I  was  made  in  secret  and  curiously 
wrought  in  the  lowest  parts  of  the  earth. 

"  16.  Thine  eyes  did  see  my  substance,  yet  being  unperfect ;  and  in  thy  book  all  my 
members  were  written,  which  in  continuance  were  fashioned,  when  as  yet  there  was  none  of 
them." 

(b)  What  does  man  need  for  the  preservation  and  cheerful  enjoy- 
ment of  life,  as  it  respects  his  body  and  mind  ?     For  his  body  he 
needs  food  ;  the  different  kinds  of  food  and  the  mode  of  preparing 
them,  are  here  bronght  to  view  ;  the  unwholesomeness  of  some 
kinds  of  food  ;  injuriousness  of  improper  food  ;  cooking  ;  evils  of 
gluttony.     The  different  kinds  of  clothing  and  modes  of  preparing 
them  ;  what  sort  of  dress  is  necessary  to  health  ;  folly  and  wicked- 
ness of  vanity  and  extravagance.     Dwellings  ;  materials  of  which 
houses  are  constructed  ;  mode  of  constructing  them  ;  different  trades 
employed  in  their  construction.         , 

For  the  mind,  man  needs  society ;  the  family  and  its  duties  ;  the 
neighborhood  and  its  duties.  Intellectual,  moral,  and  religious  culti- 
vation ;  the  school  and  its  duties  ;  the  church  and  duties.  For  the 
body  and  mind  both,  he  needs  security  of  person  and  property  ;  the 
government ;  the  legislature  ;  the  courts,  &c. 

(c)  Where  and  how  do  men  find  the  means  to  supply  their  wants, 
and  make  themselves  comfortable  and  happy  in  this  life  ? 

The  vegetable,  the  mineral,  and  the  animal  kingdoms  are  here 
brought  to  view,  for  materials  ;  together  with  agriculture  and  manu- 
factures as  the  means  of  converting  these  materials  to  our  use.  Ge- 
ography, with  special  reference  to  the  productions  of  countries,  and 
their  civil,  literary  and  religious  institutions  ;  towns,  their  organiza- 
tion and  employments.  Geography  is  sometimes  taught  by  blank 
charts,  to  which  the  students  are  required  to  affix  the  names  of  the 
several  countries,  rivers,  mountains,  principal  towns,  &c.,  and  then 
state  the  productions  and  institutions  for  which  they  are  remarkable. 
Sometimes  the  names  of  countries,  rivers,  &c.  are  given,  and  the 
pupil  is  required  to  construct  an  outline  chart  of  their  localities. 


46  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.         March, 

In  respect  to  all  the  above  points,  the  native  country  is  particular- 
ly studied,  its  capabilities,  its  productions,  its  laws,  its  institutions, 
its  history,  &c.,  are  investigated,  with  especial  reference  to  its  abili- 
ty of  supplying  the  physical,  social  and  moral  wants  of  its  inhabi- 
tants. Under  this  head  the  pupils  are  taught  to  appreciate  their 
native  country,  to  venerate  and  love  its  institutions,  to  understand 
what  is  necessary  to  their  perfection,  and  to  imbibe  a  spirit  of  pure 
and  generous  patriotism.  It  is  scarcely  neceasary  to  add,  that  all 
the  instruction  under  this  5th  head,  is  confined  to  the  fundamental 
and  simplest  principles  of  the  several  branches  referred  to. 

6.  Arithmetic  continued  through  fractions  and  the  rules  of  pro- 
portion. 

7.  Geometry,  doctrines  of  magnitudes  and  measures. 

8.  Singing  and  science  of  vocal  and  instrumental  music. 

IV.  Fourth  part  of  two  years — Children  from  twelve  to  fourteen. 

1.  Religious  instruction,  in  the  religious  observation  of  nature, 
the  life  and  discourses  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  history  of  the  Christian 
religion,  in  connection  with  the  cotemporary  civil  history,  and  the 
principal  doctrines  of  the  Christian  system. 

The  first  topic  of  instruction  mentioned  under  this  head  is  one  of 
peculiar  interest  and  utility.  The  pupils  are  taught  to  observe  with 
care  and  system,  the  various  powers  and  operations  of  nature,  and 
to  consider  them  as  so  many  illustrations  of  the  wisdom,  power,  and 
goodness  of  the  Creator,  and  at  each  lesson  they  are  directed  to 
some  appropriate  passage  of  the  Bible,  which  they  read  and  commit 
to  memory  ;  and  thus  the  idea  is  continually  impressed  on  them, 
that  the  God  of  nature,  and  the  God  of  the  Bible,  are  one  and  the 
the  same  Being. 

For  example,  as  introductory  to  the  whole  study,  the  first  chapter 
of  Genesis,  together  with  some  other  appropriate  passage  of  scrip- 
ture, as  the  147th  Psalm,  or  the  38th  chapter  of  Job,  may  be  read 
and  committed  to  memory.  The  surface  of  the  earth,  as  illustrating 
the  power  and  wisdom  of  God,  may  be  taken  as  a  lesson.  Then 
the  varieties  of  surface,  as  mountains,  valleys,  oceans,  and  rivers, 
continents,  and  islands,  the  height  of  mountains,  the  breadth  of 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  47 

oceans,  the  length  of  rivers,  remarkable  cataracts,  extended  cav- 
erns, volcanoes,  tides,  &c.,  may  be  taken  into  view,  and  the  teacher 
may  impress  upon  the  class  the  greatness,  power,  and  intelligence 
necessary  for  such  a  creation.  The  whole  is  fortified  by  the  ap- 
plication of  such  a  passage  as  Psalm  104  :  1—13. 

"  1.  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul.  O  Lord  my  God,  thou  art  very  great ;  thou  art  clothed 
with  honor  and  majesty. 

"  2.  Who  coverest  thyself  with  light  as  with  a  garment  5  who  stretchest  out  the  heavens 
like  a  curtain; 

••'  3.  Who  layeth  the  beams  of  his  chambers  in  the  waters  :  who  maketli  the  clouds  his 
chariot  :  who  walketh  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind  : 

"  4.     Who  maketh  his  angels  spirits ;  his  ministers  a  flaming  fire  : 

"  5.     Who  laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth,  that  it  should  not  be  removed  forever. 

"  6.  Thou  coveredst  it  with  the  deep  as  with  a  garment :  the  waters  stood  above  the 
mountains. 

"7.    At  thy  rebuke  they  fled  :  at  the  voice  of  thy  thunder  they  hasted  away. 

"  8.  They  go  up  by  the  mountains  ;  they  go  down  by  the  valleys  unto  the  place  which 
thou  hast  founded  for  them. 

"  9.  Thou  hast  set  a  bound  that  they  may  not  pass  over ;  that  they  turn  not  again  to 
cover  the  earth. 

"  10.     He  sendeth  the  springs  into  the  valleys,  which  run  among  the  hills. 

"  11.    They  give  drink  to  every  beast  of  the  field ;  the  wild  asses  quench  their  thirst. 

"  12.  By  them  shall  the  fowls  of  the  heaven  have  their  habitation,  which  sing  among  the 
branches. 

"  13.  He  watereth  the  hills  from  his  chambers ;  the  earth  is  satisfied  with  the  fruit  of  thy 
works." 

"  24.  O  Lord,  how  manifold  are  thy  works !  in  wisdom  hast  thou  made  them  all :  the 
earth  is  full  of  thy  riches. 

"  25.  So  is  this  great  and  wide  sea,  wherein  are  things  creeping  innumerable,  both  small 
and  great  beasts. 

'•'  26.    There  go  the  ships;  there  is  that  leviathan,  whom  thou  hast  made  to  play  therein. 

The  fruitfulness  and  beauty  of  the  earth,  as  illustrating  the  wisdom 
and  goodness  of  God,  may  serve  as  another  lesson.  Here  may  be 
exhibited  the  beauty  and  variety  of  the  plants  and  flowers  with  which 
the  earth  is  adorned — the  manner  of  their  growth  and  self-propaga- 
tion, their  utility  to  man  and  beast,  their  immense  number  and  va- 
riety, their  relations  to  each  other  as  genera  and  species  ;  trees  and 
their  varieties,  their  beauty  and  utility,  their  timber  and  their  fruit ; 
and,  in  connection  with  this  lesson,  Psalm  104  :  14—34,  may  be 
committed  to  memory  : 

"  14.  He  causeth  the  grass  to  grow  for  the  cattle,  and  herb  for  the  service  of  man  :  that 
he  may  bring  forth  fruit  out  of  the  earth ; 


48  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.        March, 

'•'  15.  And  wine  that  makcth  glad  the  heart  of  man,  and  oil  to  make  his  face  to  shine,  and 
bread  which  strengthened  man's  heart.  ^  / 

"  16.  The  trees  of  the  Lord  are  full  of  sap ;  the  cedars  of  Lebanon  which  he  hath 
planted ; 

"  17.    Where  the  birds  make  their  nests  5  as  for  the  stork,  the  fir-trees  are  her  house. 

"  18.    The  high  hills  are  a  refuge  for  the  wild  goats,  and  the  rocks  for  the  conies. 

"  19.    He  appointeth  the  moon  for  seasons  :  the  sun  knoweth  his  gowing  down. 

"  20.  Thou  makest  darkness,  and  it  is  night :  wherein  all  the  beasts  of  the  forests  do 
creep  forth. 

"  21.    The  young  lions  roar  after  their  prey,  and  seek  their  meat  from  God. 

"  22.    The  sun  ariseth,  they  gather  themselves  together,  and  lay  them  down  in  their  dens. 

"  23.    Man  goeth  forth  to  his  work  and  to  his  labor  until  the  evening." 

"27.    These  wait  all  upon  Ihee;  that  thou  mayst  give  them  their  meat  in  due  season. 

"28.  That  thou  givest  them  they  gather  5  thou  openest  thine  hand,  they  are  filled  with 
good. 

"  29.  Thou  hidest  thy  face,  they  are  troubled  ;  thou  takest  away  their  breath,  they  die, 
and  return  to  their  dust. 

"  30.  Thou  sendest  forth  thy  spirit,  they  are  created  ;  and  thou  renewest  the  face  of  the 
earth.  , ' 

"31.    The  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  endure  forever;  the  Lord  shall  rejoice  in  his  works. 

"  32.     He  looketh  on  the  earth,  and  it  trembleth  :  he  toucheth  the  hills  and  they  smoke. 

"  33.  I  will  sing  unto  the  Lord  as  long  as  I  live  :  I  will  sing  praise  unto  my  God  while  I 
have  my  being. 

"  34.    My  meditation  of  him  shall  be  sweet :  I  will  be  glad  in  the  Lord." 

In  like  manner,  the  creation  and  nourishment,  the  habits  and  in- 
stincts of  various  animals  may  be  contemplated  in  connection  with 
Proverbs  6:  6-8;  Psalm  104:  17-22;  Proverbs  30:  24-31. 
Gen.  1  :  20-24;  Psalms  145  :  15-16. 

"  6.  Go  to  the  ant,  thou  sluggard ;  consider  her  ways,  and  be  wise  : 

"  7.  Which  having  no  guide,  overseer,  or  ruler, 

'•'  8.  Provideth  her  meat  in  the  summer,  and  gathereth  her  food  in  the  harvest." 

"  24.  There  be  four  things  which  are  little  on  the  earth  but  they  are  exceeding  wise. 

"  25.  The  ants  are  a  people  not  strong,  yet  they  prepare  their  meat  in  the  summer. 

"  :26.  The  conies  are  but  a  feeble  folk,  yet  they  make  their  houses  in  the  rocks. 

a  27.  -phe  )ocusts  have  no  king,  yet  they  go  forth  all  of  them  by  bands ; 

"  28.  The  spider  taketh  hold  with  her  hands,  and  is  in  kings'  palaces. 

"29.  There  be  three  things  which  go  well,  yea,  four  are  comely  in  going. 

"  30.  A  lion,  whirh  is  strongest  among  beasls,  and  turneth  not  away  for  any  ; 

"  31.  A  greyhound  ;  an  he-goat  also  j  and  a  king  against  whom  tiiere  is  no  rising  up." 

"  24.  And  God  said,  Let  the  earth  bring  forth  the  living  creature  after  his  kind,  cattle, 
and  creeping  thing,  and  beast  of  the  earth  after  his  kind  :  and  it  was  so. 

"  25.  And  God  made  the  beast  of  the  earth  after  his  kind,  and  cattle  after  their  kind, 
and  every  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth  after  his  kind:  and  God  saw  that  it  was  good." 

"  15.  The  eyes  of  all  wait  upon  thee ;  and  thou  givest  them  their  meat  in  due  season. 

"  16.  Thou  openest  thine  hand,  and  satisfies!  the  desire  of  every  living  thing. 

"  17.  The  LORD  w  righteous  in  all  his  ways,  and  holy  in  all  his  works." 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  49 

The  phenomena  of  light  and  color,  the  nature  of  the  rainbow,  &c., 
may  make  another  interesting  lesson,  illustrating  the  unknown  forms 
of  beauty  and  glory  which  exist  in  the  Divine  Mind,  and  which  He 
may  yet  develope  in  other  and  still  more  glorious  worlds  ;  in  con- 
nection with  Gen.  1,  3,  5,  9,  13,  14,  and  other  passages  of  like 
kind. 

So  the  properties  of  the  air,  wind,  and  storm,  Job  28,  25-28, 
33,  34,  35.  Ps.  148,  8. 

"  33.  Knowest  thou  the  ordinances  of  heaven  ?  canst  them  set  the  dominion  thereof  in 
the  earth  ? 

"  34.  Canst  thou  lift  up  thy  voice  to  the  clouds,  that  abundance  of  waters  may  cover 
thee  ? 

"  35.    Canst  thou  send  lightnings,  that  they  may  go,  and  say  unto  ihee,  Here  we  are! 

"  36.  Who  hath  put  wisdom  in  the  inward  parts  ?  or  who  hath  given  understanding  to 
the  heart  ? 

"  37.    Who  can  number  the  clouds  in  wisdom  ?  or  who  can  stay  the  bottles  of  heaven." 

Then  the  heavens,  the  sun,  moon,  planets,  fixed  stars  and  comets, 
the  whole  science  of  astronomy,  so  far  as  it  can  be  introduced  with 
advantage  into  common  schools,  can  be  contemplated  in  the  same 
way.  The  enlightening,  elevating,  and  purifying  moral  influence  of 
such  a  scheme  of  instruction,  carried  through  the  whole  system  of 
nature,  must  be  clearly  obvious  to  every  thinking  mind,  and  its  utili- 
ty, considered  merely  with  reference  t9  worldly  good,  is  no  less 
manifest. 

The  second  topic  of  religious  instruction  is  more  exclusively  scrip- 
tural. The  life  of  Christ,  and  the  history  of  the  apostles,  as  given  in 
the  New  Testament,  are  chronologically  arranged,  and  tables  formed 
as  before,  (III.  3.)  The  discourses  of  Christ  are  examined  and  ex- 
plained in  their  chronological  arrangement,  and  in  the  same  way  the 
discourses  and  epistles  of  the  apostles.  The  history  of  Christianity, 
in  connection  with  the  cotemporary  civil  history,  is  taught  in  a  series 
of  conversational  lectures.  To  conclude  the  whole  course  of  reli- 
gious instruction,  a  summary  of  the  Christian  doctrine  is  given  in  the 
form  of  some  approved  catechism. 

2.  Knowledge  of  the  world  and  of  mankind,  including  civil  socie- 
ty, constitutional  law,  agriculture,  mechanic  arts,  manufactures,  &c. 

This  is  a  continuation  and  completion  in  a  more  systematic  form 
of  the  instruction  commenced  in  III,  5.     The  course  begins  with 
7 


50  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.        March, 

the  family,  and  the  first  object  is  to  construct  a  habitation.  The  pu- 
pil tells  what  materials  are  necessary  for  this  purpose,  where  they 
are  to  be  found,  how  brought  together  and  fitted  into  the  several 
parts  of  the  building.  The  house  must  now  be  furnished.  The  dif- 
ferent articles  of  furniture  and  their  uses  are  named  in  systematic  or- 
der, the  materials  of  which  they  are  made,  and  the  various  trades 
employed  in  making  them  are  enumerated.  Then  comes  the  gar- 
den, its  tools  and  products,  and  whatever  else  is  necessary  for  the 
subsistence  and  physical  comfort  of  a  family.  Then  the  family  du- 
ties and  virtues,  parental  and  filial  obligation  and  affection  ;  rights  of 
property,  duties  of  neighborhoods  ;  the  civil  relations  of  society  ;  the 
religious  relations  of  society  ;  the  state,  the  father-land,  &c.  ;  finally 
geography,  history,  and  travels.  Books  of  travels  are  compiled  ex- 
pressly for  the  use  of  schools,  and  are  found  to  be  of  the  highest  in- 
terest and  utility. 

3.  Language  and  exercises  in  composition. 

The  object  here  is  to  give  the  pupils  a  perfect  command  of  their 
native  tongue  and  ability  to  use  it  on  all  occasions  with  readiness  and 
power.  The  first  exercises  are  on  simple  questions,  such  as — 
"  Why  ought  children  to  love  and  obey  their  parents  ?" — or  they 
are  short  descriptions  of  visible  objects,  such  as  a  house,  a  room,  a 
garden,  &c.  There  are  also  exercises  on  the  various  forms  of  ex- 
pressing the  same  idea,  as  "  The  sun  enlightens  the  earth."  "  The 
earth  is  enlightened  by  the  sun."  "The  sun  gives  light  to  the 
earth."  "  The  earth  receives  light  from  the  sun."  "The  sun  is 
the  source  of  light  to  the  earth."  "  The  sun  sends  out  its  rays  to 
enlighten  the  earth."  "  The  earth  is  enlightened  by  rays  sent  out 
from  the  sun,"  &c.  There  are  exercises  also  of  the  same  sort,  or 
metaphors  and  other  figures  of  speech — familiar  letters  are  then  writ- 
ten and  short  essays  on  themes  such  as  may  be  furnished  by  texts 
from  the  book  of  Proverbs  and  other  sentences  of  the  kind  ;  and 
thus  gradual  advancement  is  made  to  all  the  higher  and  graver  modes 
of  composition. 

4.  Application  of  arithmetic  and  mathematics  to  the  business  of 
life,  including  surveying,  civil  engineering,  &c. 

The  utility  of  this  branch  of  instruction  and  the  mode  of  it,  after 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  51 

what  has  already  been  said,  are  probably  too  obvious  to  need  any 
further  illustration. 

5.  Elements  of  Drawing. 

For  this  the  pupils  have  already  been  prepared  by  the  exercises 
in  ornamental  writing  in  the  previous  part  of  the  course.  They  have 
already  acquired  that  accuracy  of  sight  and  steadiness  of  hand  which 
are  among  the  most  essential  requisites  to  drawing  well.  The  first 
exercises  are  in  drawing  lines,  and  the  most  simple  mathematical 
figures,  such  as  the  square,  the  cube,  the  triangle,  the  parallelogram: 
generally  from  wooden  models  placed  at  some  little  distance  on  a 
shelf,  before  the  class.  From  this  they  proceed  to  architectural  fig- 
ures, such  as  doors,  windows,  columns,  and  facades.  Then  the  fig- 
ures of  animals,  such  as  a  horse,  a  cow,  an  elephant — first  from  oth- 
er pictures,  and  then  from  nature.  A  plant,  a  rose,  or  some  flower 
is  placed  upon  a  shelf  and  the  class  make  a  picture  of  it.  From  this 
they  proceed  to  landscape  painting,  historical  painting,  and  the  high- 
er branches  of  the  art,  according  to  their  time  and  capacity.  All 
learn  enough  of  drawing  to  use  it  in  the  common  business  of  life, 
such  as  plotting  a  field,  laying  out  a  canal,  or  drawing  the  plan  of  a 
building  ;  and  many  attain  to  a  high  degree  of  excellence. 

6.  Exercises  in  singing  and  the  science  of  music. 

The  instructions  of  the  previous  parts  are  extended  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, and  include  singing  and  playing  at  sight,  and  the  more  abstruse 
and  difficult  branches  of  the  science  and  art  of  music. 

CHARACTER    OF    THE    SYSTEM. 

The  striking  features  of  this  system,  even  in  the  hasty  aud  imper- 
fect sketch  which  my  limits  allow  me  to  give,  are  obvious  even 
to  superficial  observation.  No  one  can  fail  to  observe  its  great 
completeness,  both  as  to  the  number  and  kind  of  subjects  embraced 
in  it,  and  as  to  its  adaptedness  to  develope  every  power  of  every 
kind,  and  give  it  a  useful  direction.  What  topic  in  all  that  is  neces- 
sary for  a  sound  business  education  is  here  omitted  ?  I  can  think  of 
nothing,  unless  it  be  one  or  two  of  the  modern  languages,  and  these 
are  introduced  wherever  it  is  necessary,  as  has  already  been  seen  in 
the  study  sheet  of  Dr.  Diesterweg's  seminary,  inserted  on  a  preced- 


52  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.         March, 

ing  page  of  this  report.  I  have  not  taken  the  course  precisely  as 
it  exists  in  any  one  school,  but  have  combined  from  an  investigation 
of  many  institutions,  the  features  which  I  supposed  would  most  fairly 
represent  the  whole  system.  In  the  Rhinish  provinces  of  Prussia, 
in  a  considerable  part  of  Bavaria,  Baden,  and  Wirternberg,  French 
is  taught  as  well  as  German  ;  in  the  schools  of  Prussian  Poland, 
German  and  Polish  are  taught ;  and  even  English,  in  the  Russian 
schools  of  Cronstadt  and  Archangel,  where  so  many  English  and 
American  merchants  resort  for  the  purposes  of  trade.  Two  lan- 
guages can  be  taught  in  a  school  quite  as  easily  as  one,  provided  the 
teacher  be  perfectly  familiar,  as  any  one  may  see  by  visiting  Mr. 
Solomon's  school  in  Cincinnati,  where  all  the  instruction  is  given 
both  in  German  and  English. 

What  faculty  of  mind  is  there  that  is  not  developed  in  the  scheme 
of  instruction  sketched  above  ?  I  know  of  none.  The  perceptive 
and  reflective  faculties,  the  memory  and  the  judgment,  the  imagina- 
tion and  the  taste,  the  moral  and  religious  faculty,  and  even  the  vari- 
ous kinds  of  physical  and  manual  dexterity,  all  have  opportunity  for 
development  and  exercise.  Indeed,  I  think  the  system  in  its  great 
outlines,  as  nearly  complete  as  human  ingenuity  and  skill  can  make 
it ;  though  undoubtedly  some  of  its  arrangements  and  details  ad- 
mit of  improvement  ;  and  some  changes  will  of  course  be  necessary 
in  adapting  it  to  the  circumstances  of  different  countries. 

The  entirely  practical  character  of  the  system  is  obvious  through- 
out. It  views  every  subject  on  the  practical  side,  and  in  reference 
to  its  adaptedness  to  use.  The  dry  technical  abstract  parts  of  sci- 
ence are  not  those  first  presented  ;  but  the  system  proceeds,  in  the 
only  way  which  nature  ever  pointed  out,  from  practice  to  theory, 
from  parts  to  demonstrations.  It  has  often  been  a  complaint  in  res- 
pect to  some  systems  of  education,  that  the  more  a  man  studied,  the 
less  he  knew  of  the  actual  business  of  life.  Such  a  complaint  can- 
not be  made  in  reference  to  this  system,  for  being  intended  to  edu- 
cate for  the  actual  business  of  life,  this  object  is  never  for  a  moment 
lost  sight  of. 

Another  striking  feature  of  the  system  is  its  moral  and  religious 
character.  Its  morality  is  pure  and  elevated,  its  religion  entirely 
removed  from  the  narrowness  of  sectarian  bigotry.  What  parent  is 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  53 

there,  loving  his  children  and  wishing  to  have  them  respected  and 
happy,  who  would  not  desire  that  they  should  be  educated  under 
such  a  kind  of  moral  and  religious  influence  as  has  been  described  ? 
Whether  a  believer  in  revelation  or  not,  does  he  not  know  that  with- 
out sound  morals  there  can  be  no  happiness,  and  that  there  is  no 
morality  like  the  morality  of  the  New  Testament  ?  Does  he  not 
know  that  without  religion,  the  human  heart  can  never  be  at  rest,  and 
that  there  is  no  religion  like  the  religion  of  the  Bible  ?  Every  well 
informed  man  knows,  that,  as  a  general  fact,  it  is  impossible  to  im- 
press the  obligations  of  morality  with  any  efficiency  on  the  heart  of 
a  child,  or  even  on  that  of  an  adult,  without  an  appeal  to  some  mode 
which  is  sustained  by  the  authority  of  God  ;  and  for  what  code 
will  it  be  possible  to  claim  this  authority  if  not  for  the  code  of  the 
Bible  ? 

But  perhaps  some  will  be  ready  to  say,  the  scheme  is  indeed  an 
excellent  one,  provided  only  it  were  practicable  ;  but  the  idea  of  in- 
troducing so  extensive  and  complete  a  course  of  study  into  our  com- 
mon schools  is  entirely  visionary  and  can  never  be  realized.  I  an- 
swer, that  it  is  no  theory  which  I  have  been  exhibiting,  but  a  matter 
of  fact,  a  copy  of  actual  practice.  The  above  system  is  no  vision- 
ary scheme  emanating  from  the  closet  of  a  recluse,  but  a  sketch  of 
the  course  of  instruction  now  actually  pursued  by  thousands  of  school- 
masters in  the  best  district  schools  that  have  ever  been  organized. 
It  can  be  done,  for  it  has  been  done,  it  is  now  done,  and  it  ought  to 
be  done.  If  it  can  be  done  in  Europe,  I  believe  it  can  be  done  in 
the  United  States  :  if  it  can  be  done  in  Prussia,  I  know  it  can  be 
done  in  Ohio.  The  people  have  but  to  say  the  word  and  provide 
the  means,  and  the  thing  is  accomplished  ;  for  the  word  of  the  peo- 
ple here  is  even  more  powerful  than  the  word  of  the  King  there  ; 
and  the  means  of  the  people  here  are  altogether  more  abundant  for 
such  an  object  than  the  means  of  the  sovereign  there.  Shall  this 
object,  then,  so  desirable  in  itself,  so  entirely  practicable,  so  easily 
within  our  reach,  fail  of  accomplishment  ?  For  the  honor  and  wel- 
fare of  our  State,  for  the  safety  of  our  whole  nation,  I  trust  it  will 
not  fail  ;  but  that  we  shall  soon  witness  in  this  commonwealth  the 
introduction  of  a  system  of  common  school  instruction,  fully  adequate 
to  all  the  wants  of  our  population. 


54  PROFESSOR   STOWE'S  REPORT.          March, 

But  the  question  occurs,  how  can  this  be  done  ?  I  will  give  a 
few  brief  hints  as  to  some  things  which  I  suppose  to  be  essential 
to  the  attainment  of  so  desirable  an  end. 


MEANS    OF    SUSTAINING    THE    SYSTEM. 

1.  Teachers  must  be  skilful,  and  trained  to  their  business.  It 
will  at  once  be  perceived,  that  the  plan  above  sketched  out  proceeds 
on  the  supposition  that  the  teacher  has  fully  and  distinctly  in  his  mind 
the  whole  course  of  instruction,  not  only  as  it  respects  the  matter  to 
be  taught,  but  also  as  to  all  the  best  modes  of  teaching,  that  he 
may  be  able  readily  and  decidedly  to  vary  his  method  according  to 
the  peculiarities  of  each  individual  mind  which  may  corne  under  his 
care.  This  is  the  only  true  secret  of  successful  teaching.  The  old 
mechanical  method,  in  which  the  teacher  relies  entirely  on  his  text- 
book, and  drags  every  mind  along  through  the  same  dull  routine  of 
creeping  recitation,  is  utterly  insufficient  to  meet  the  wants  of  our 
people.  It  may  do  in  Asiatic  Turkey,  where  the  whole  object  of 
the  school  is  to  learn  to  pronounce  the  words  of  the  Koran,  in  one 
dull  monotonous  series  of  sounds  ;  or  it  may  do  in  China,  where 
men  must  never  speak  or  think  out  of  the  old  beaten  track  of  Chi- 
nese imbecility  ;  but  it  will  never  do  in  the  United  States,  where  the 
object  of  education  ought  to  be  to  make  immediately  available,  for 
the  highest  and  best  purposes,  every  particle  of  real  talent  that  exists 
in  the  nation.  To  effect  such  a  purpose,  the  teacher  must  possess 
a  strong  and  independent  mind,  well  disciplined,  and  well  stored 
with  every  thing  pertaining  to  his  profession,  and  ready  to  adapt  his 
instructions  to  every  degree  of  intellectual  capacity,  and  every  kind 
of  acquired  habit.  But  how  can  we  expect  to  find  such  teachers, 
unless  they  are  trained  to  their  business  ?  A  very  few  of  extraordi- 
nary powers  may  occur,  as  we  sometimes  find  able  mechanics,  and 
great  mathematicians,  who  had  no  early  training  in  iheir  favorite  pur- 
suits ;  but  these  few  exceptions  to  a  general  rule  will  never  multiply 
fast  enough  to  supply  our  schools  with  able  teachers.  The  manage- 
ment of  the  human  mind,  particularly  youthful  mind,  is  the  most 
delicate  task  ever  committed  to  the  hand  of  man  ;  and  shall  it  be  left 


1838.  HOUSE— N.  64.  55 

to  mere  instinct,  or  shall  our  schoolmasters  have  at  least  as  careful  a 
training  as  our  lawyers  and  physicians  ? 

2.  Teachers,  then,  must  have  the  means  of  acquiring  the  neces- 
sary qualifications  ;   in  other  words,  there  must  be  institutions  in 
which  the  business  of  teaching  is  made  a  systematic  object  of  atten- 
tion.    I  am  not  an  advocate  for  multiplying  our  institutions.     We 
already  have  more  in  number  than  we  support,  and  it  would  be  wise 
to  give  power  and  efficiency  to  those  we  now  possess,  before  we 
project  new  ones.     But  the  science  and  art  of  teaching  ought  to  be 
a  regular  branch  of  study  in  some  of  our  academies  and  high  schools, 
that  those  who  are  looking  forward  to  this  profession  may  have  an 
opportunity  of  studying  its  principles.     In  addition  to  this,   in  our 
populous  towns  where  there  is  an  opportunity  for  it,  there  should  be 
large  model  schools,  under  the  care  of  the  most  able  and  experienced 
teachers  that  can  be  obtained  ;  and  the  candidates  for  the  profession 
who  have  already  completed  the  theoretic  course  of  the  academy, 
should  be  employed  in  this  school  as  monitors  or  assistants,  thus 
testing  all  their  theories  by  practice,  and  acquiring  skill  and  dexterity 
under  the  guidance  of  their  head  master.     Thus,  while  learning,  they 
would  be  teaching,  and  no  time  or  effort  would  be  lost.     To  give 
efficiency  to  the  whole  system,  to  present  a  general  standard  and  a 
prominent  point  of  union,  there  should  be  at  least  one  model-teachers' 
seminary,  at  some  central  point, — as  at  Columbus, — which  shall  be 
amply  provided  with  all  the  means  of  study  and  instruction,  and  have 
connected  with  it  schools  of  every  grade,  for  the  practice  of  the  stu- 
dents, under  the  immediate  superintendence  of  their  teachers. 

3.  The  teachers  must  be  competently  supported,  and  devoted  to 
their  business.     Few  men  attain  any  great  degree  of  excellence  In  a 
profession,  unless  they  love  it,  and  place  all  their  hopes  in  life  upon 
it.     A  man  cannot,  consistently  with  his  duty  to  himself,  engage  in  a 
business  which  does  not  afford  him  a  competent  support,  unless  he 
has  other  means  of  living,  which  is  not  the  case  with  many  who  en- 
gage in  teaching.     In  this  country  especially,  where  there  are  such 
vast  fields  of  profitable  employment  open  to  every  enterprising  man, 
it  is  not  possible,  that  the  best  of  teachers  can  be  obtained,  to  any 
considerable  extent,  for  our  district  schools,  at  the  present  rate  of 
wages.     We  have  already  seen   what  encouragement  is  held  out  to 


56  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.          March, 

teachers  in  Russia,  Prussia,  and  other  European  nations,  and  what 
pledges  are  given  of  competent  support  to  their  families,  not  only 
while  engaged  in  the  work,  but  when,  having  been  worn  out  in  the 
public  service,  they  are  no  longer  able  to  labor.  In  those  countries, 
where  every  profession  and  walk  of  life  is  crowded,  and  where  one 
of  the  most  common  and  oppressive  evils  is  want  of  employment, 
men  of  high  talents  and  qualifications  are  often  glad  to  become  teach- 
ers even  of  district  schools ;  men  who  in  this  country  would  aspire 
to  the  highest  places  in  our  colleges,  or  even  our  halls  of  legislation 
and  courts  of  justice.  How  much  more  necessary,  then,  here,  that 
the  profession  of  teaching  should  afford  a  competent  support  ! 

Indeed,  such  is  the  state  of  things  in  this  country,  that  we  can- 
not expect  to  find  male  teachers  for  all  our  schools.  The  busi- 
ness of  educating,  especially  young  children,  must  fall,  to  a  great 
extent,  on  female  teachers.  There  is  not  the  same  variety  of 
tempting  employment  for  females  as  for  men,  they  can  be  sup- 
ported cheaper,  and  the  Creator  has  given  them  peculiar  quali- 
fications for  the  education  of  the  young.  Females,  then,  ought  to 
be  employed  extensively  in  all  our  elementary  schools,  and  they 
should  be  encouraged  and  aided  in  obtaining  the  qualifications  ne- 
cessary for  this  work.  There  is  no  country  in  the  world  where 
woman  holds  so  high  a  rank,  or  exerts  so  great  an  influence,  as  here  ; 
wherefore,  her  responsibilities  are  the  greater,  and  she  is  under  ob- 
ligations to  render  herself  the  more  actively  useful.  I  think  our  fair 
countrywomen,  notwithstanding  the  exhortations  of  Harriet  Marti- 
neau,  Fanny  Wright,  and  some  other  ladies  and  gentlemen,  will 
never  seek  distinction  in  our  public  assemblies  for  public  discussion, 
or  in  our  halls  of  legislation  ;  but  in  their  appropriate  work  of  edu- 
cating the  young,  of  forming  the  opening  mind  to  all  that  is  good  and 
great,  the  more  they  distinguish  themselves  the  better. 

4.  The  children  must  be  made  comfortable  in  their  school ;  they 
must  be  punctual,  and  attend  the  whole  course.  There  can  be  no 
profitable  study  without  personal  comfort  ;  and  the  inconvenience 
and  miserable  arrangements  of  some  of  our  school-houses  are  enough 
to  annihilate  all  that  can  be  done  by  the  best  of  teachers.  No  in- 
structor can  teach  unless  the  pupils  are  present  to  be  taught,  and  no 
plan  of  systematic  instruction  can  be  carried  steadily  through,  un- 
less the  pupils  attend  punctually  and  through  the  whole  course. 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  57 

5.  The  children  must  be  given  up  implicitly  to  the  discipline  of 
the  school.     Nothing  can  be  done  unless  the  teacher  has  the  entire 
control  of  his  pupils  in  school  hours,  and  out  of  school  too,  so  far  as 
the  rules  of  the  school  are  concerned.     If  the  parent  in  any  way 
interferes  with,  or  overrules  the  arrangements  of  the  teacher,  he  may 
attribute  it  to  himself  if  the  school  is  not  successful.     No  teacher 
ever  ought  to  be  employed  to  whom  the  entire  management  of  the 
children  cannot  be  safely  entrusted  ;  and  better  at  any  time  dismiss 
the  teacher  than  counteract  his  discipline.     Let  parents  but  take  the 
pains  and  spend   the   money  necessary  to  provide   a   comfortable 
school-house  and  a  competent  teacher  for  their  children,  and  they 
never  need  apprehend  that  the  discipline  of  the  school  will  be  un- 
reasonably severe.     No  inconsiderable  part  of  the  corporeal  punish- 
ment that  has  been  inflicted  in  schools,  has  been  made  necessary  by 
the  discomfort  of  school-houses  and  the  unskilfulness  of  teachers. 
A  lively,  sensitive  boy  is  stuck  upon  a  bench  full  of  knot-holes  and 
sharp  ridges,   without  a  support  for  his  feet  or  his  back,  with  a 
scorching  fire  on  one  side  of  him  and  a  freezing  wind  on  the  other  ; 
and  a  stiff  Orbilius  of  a  master,  with  wooden  brains  and   iron  hands, 
orders  him  to  sit  perfectly  still,  with  nothing  to   employ  his  mind  or 
his  body,  till  it  is  his  turn  to  read.     Thus  confined  for  hours,  what 
can  the  poor  little  fellow  do  but  begin  to  wriggle  like  a  fish  out  of 
water,  or  an  eel  in  a  frying-pan  ?     For  this  irrepressible  effort  at 
relief  he  receives  a  box  on  the  ear  ;  this  provokes  and  renders  him 
still  more  uneasy,  and  next  comes  the  merciless  ferule  ;  and  the 
poor  child  is  finally  burnt  and  frozen,  cuffed  and  beaten  into  harden- 
ed roguery  or  incurable  stupidity,  just  because   the  avarice  of  his 
parents  denied  him  a  comfortable  school-house  and   a  competent 
teacher.      [On  the  subject  of  school  discipline,  I  solicit  attention 
particularly  to  the  answers  to  question  3,   in  Appendix  B,  to  this 
report.] 

6.  A  beginning  must  be  made  at  certain  points,  and  the  advance 
towards  completeness  must  be  gradual.     Every  thing  cannot  be  done 
at  once,  and  such  a  system  as  is  needed  cannot  be  generally  intro- 
duced till  its  benefits  are  first  demonstrated  by  actual  experiment. 
Certain  great  points,  then,  where  the  people  are  ready  to  co-operate, 
and  to  make  the  most  liberal  advances  in  proportion  to  their  means, 

8 


58  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.         March, 

to  maintain  the  schools,  should  be  selected,  and  no  pains  or  expense 
spared,  till  the  full  benefits  of  the  best  system  are  realized  ;  and  as 
the  good  effects  are  seen,  other  places  will  very  readily  follow  the 
example.  All  experience  has  shown,  that  governmental  patronage  is 
most  profitably  employed,  not  to  do  the  entire  work  but  simply  as 
an  incitement  to  the  people  to  help  themselves. 

To  follow  up  this  great  object,  the  legislature  has  wisely  made 
choice  of  a  Superintendent  whose  untiring  labors  and  disinterested 
zeal  are  worthy  of  all  praise.  But  no  great  plan  can  be  carriecf 
through  in  a  single  year ;  and  if  the  Superintendent  is  to  have  op- 
portunity to  do  what  is  necessary,  and  to  preserve  that  independence 
and  energy  of  official  character  which  is  requisite  to  the  successful 
discharge  of  his  duties,  he  should  hold  his  office  for  the  same  term 
and  on  the  same  conditions,  as  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

Every  officer  engaged  in  this,  or  in  every  other  public  work, 
should  receive  a  suitable  compensation  for  his  services.  This  jus- 
tice requires,  and  it  is  the  only  way  to  secure  fidelity  and  efficiency. 

There  is  one  class  of  our  population  for  whom  some  special  pro- 
vision seems  necessary.  The  children  of  foreign  immigrants  are 
now  very  numerous  among  us,  and  it  is  essential  that  they  receive  a 
good  ENGLISH  EDUCATION.  But  they  are  not  prepared  to  avail 
themselves  of  the  advantages  of  our  common  English  schools,  their 
imperfect  acquaintance  with  the  language  being  an  insuperable  bar 
to  their  entering  on  the  course  of  study.  It  is  necessary,  there- 
fore, that  there  be  some  preparatory  schools,  in  which  instruction 
shall  be  communicated  both  in  English  and  their  native  tongue. 
The  English  is,  and  must  be,  the  language  of  this  country,  and 
the  highest  interests  of  our  State  demand  it  of  the  Legislature  to 
require  that  the  English  language  be  thoroughly  taught  in  every  school 
which  they  patronise.  Still,  the  exigencies  of  the  case  make  it  ne- 
cessary that  there  should  be  some  schools  expressly  fitted  to  the  con- 
dition of  our  foreign  immigrants,  to  introduce  them  to  a  knowledge 
of  our  language  and  institutions.  A  school  of  this  kind  has  been  es- 
tablished in  Cincinnati  by  benevolent  individuals.  It  has  been  in 
operation  about  a  year,  and  already  nearly  three  hundred  children 
have  received  its  advantages.  Mr.  Solomon,  the  head  teacher,  was 
educated  for  his  profession  in  one  of  the  best  institutions  of  Prussia, 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  59 

and  in  this  school  he  has  demonstrated  the  excellencies  of  the  sys- 
tem. The  instructions  are  all  given  both  in  German  and  English, 
and  this  use  of  two  languages  does  not  at  all  interrupt  the  progress  of 
the  children  in  their  respective  studies.  I  cannot  but  recommend 
this  philanthropic  institution  to  the  notice  and  patronage  of  the  Legis- 
lature. 

In  neighborhoods  where  there  is  a  mixed  population,  it  is  desira- 
ble, if  possible,  to  employ  teachers  who  understand  both  languages, 
and  that  the  exercises  of  the  school  be  conducted  in  both,  with  the 
rule,  however,  that  all  the  reviews  and  examinations  be  in  English 
only. 

These  suggestions  I  have  made  with  unfeigned  diffidence,  and  with 
a  sincere  desire  that  the  work  which  has  been  so  nobly  begun  by  the 
Lfu;M.iture  of  Ohio,  may  be  carried  forward  to  a  glorious  result.  I 
should  hardly  have  ventured  to  take  such  liberty  had  not  my  commission 
expressly  authorized  me  to  "make  such  practical  observations  as  I 
might  think  proper,"  as  well  as  to  report  facts.  I  know  that  I  am 
addressing  enlightened  and  patriotic  men,  who  have  discernment  to 
perceive,  and  good  feeling  to  appreciate,  every  sincere  attempt,  how- 
ever humble  it  may  be,  for  the  country's  good  ;  and  I  have  therefore 
spoken  out  plainly  and  directly  the  honest  convictions  of  my  heart ; 
feeling  assured  that  what  is  honestly  meant,  will,  by  highminded  men, 
be  kindly  received. 

All  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

C.  E.  STOWE. 
Columbus,  Dec.  18,  1837. 


NOTE. — I  cannot  close  my  report  without  acknowledging  my  spe- 
cial obligations  to  some  gentlemen  whose  names  do  not  occur  in  it. 
To  Professor  Dorner  of  the  University  of  Tuebingen,  I  am  particu- 
larly indebted  for  his  unwearied  kindness  and  assiduity  in  directing 
me  to  the  best  schools,  and  introducing  me  to  the  teachers.  To  Dr. 
Bowring  of  London,  and  Professor  Pryme  and  Henslow  of  the  Uni- 


60  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.      Mar.  '38. 

versity  of  Cambridge,  I  am  under  particular  obligations.  Dr.  Drake 
of  Cincinnati,  and  Hon.  W.  C.  Rives,  and  Hon.  Henry  Clay  of  the 
United  States  Senate,  also  rendered  me  timely  aid.  Hundreds  of 
teachers,  and  other  gentlemen  interested  in  education,  whose  sympa- 
thies I  enjoyed,  I  shall  always  remember  with  pleasure  and  grati- 
tude. 


APPENDIX. 


(A) 
PRUSSIAN   SCHOOL   LAWS. 

In  establishing  a  uniform  school  system  in  Prussia,  great  difficulty  has 
been  encountered  from  the  local  usages  and  privileges  of  different  sections 
of  which  the  inhabitants  have  been  extremely  tenacious.  Great  care  has 
been  taken  to  avoid  all  needless  offence,  and  to  prevent  local  jealousies. 
Old  usages  and  privileges,  so  far  as  possible,  have  been  respected,  and 
prejudices  have  not  been  rashly  attacked,  but  left  to  be  gradually  undermined 
by  the  growing  advantages  of  the  system.  This  course  has  certainly  been 
a  wise  one,  but  one  that  has  required  great  patience  and  perseverance  on 
the  part  of  the  government,  and  a  great  amount  of  special  legislation.  In 
examining  the  Prussian  laws  pertaining  to  the  schools  for  elementary  in- 
struction, and  teacher's  seminaries  alone,  exclusive  of  the  high  schools 
gymnasia,  universities,  &c. ;  I  find  that  there  are  no  less  than  239  different 
edicts  now  in  force,  of  which  226  have  been  issued  by  Frederick  William 
HI.  The  earliest  date  is  July  30th,  1736,  and  the  latest,  July,  1834. 

The  subjects  and  the  number  of  the  different  edicts,  are  as  follows : 

1.    General  organization  of  the  school  system.    Eleven  edicts,  from  July, 
1736,  to  August,  1831. 

IL    Duty  of  parents  to  send  their  children  to  the  elementary  schools. 
Nine  edicts,  from  January,  1769,  to  January,  1831,  namely: 

1.  Seven  on  the  general  duties  of  parents,  and 

2.  Two  having  particular  reference  to  the  manufacturing  districts. 

III.  Instruction  and  education  in  the  schools.    Thirty-two  edicts,  from 
December,  1794,  to  September,  1832,  namely  : 

1.  Seven  on  religious  instruction. 

2.  Seven  on  the  general  subjects  of  instruction,  and  their  order. 

3.  Four  on  instruction  in  agriculture  and  the  arts. 

4.  Two  on  vacations  and  dismissions  from  school. 

5.  Twelve  on  the  regulation  of  scholars  out  of  school  hours. 

IV.  Duty  of  districts  to  maintain  schools  and  teachers.    Nine  edicts, 
from  June,  1790,  to  December,  1830. 


62  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.        March, 

V.  The  right  of  appointing  teachers.  Seven  edicts,  from  September, 
1812,  to  January,  1831. 

VI  Teachers  of  the  schools.  Sixty-five  edicts,  from  November,  1738, 
to  December,  1833,  namely : 

1.  Ten  on  the  calling  and  examination  of  teachers. 

2.  Eight  on  the  personal  rights  and  duties  of  teachers. 

3.  Five  on  the  salaries  of  teachers. 

4.  Twelve  on  teachers  engaging  in  other  employments. 

5.  Two  on  the  dismissing  and  pensioning  of  teachers. 

6.  Twelve  on  the  deposing  of  teachers. 

7.  Four  on  providing  for  the  families  of  deceased  teachers. 

VTL  Duties  of  magistrates  in  respect  to  the  schools.  Twelve  edicts, 
from  December,  1810,  to  March,  1828. 

VUL  School  property.  Thirty-seven  edicts,  from  January,  1801,  to 
October,  1833,  namely : 

1.  Fourteen  on  school  funds  and  their  management. 

2.  Twenty-one  on  school-houses. 

3.  Two  on  settlement  of  amounts. 

IX.  Regulations  peculiar  to  schools  in  large  cities.    Four  edicts,  from 
June,  1811,  to  November,  1827. 

X.  Institutions  for  special  purposes.    Thirty-four  edicts,  from  Septem- 
ber, 1811,  to  January,  1834,  namely : 

1.  Four  on  schools  for  the  deaf  mutes. 

2.  One  on  orphan  houses. 

3.  Four  on  ecclesiastical  instruction. 

4.  Nine  on  private  schools. 

5.  One  on  infant  schools. 

6.  Two  on  girl's  schools. 

7.  Thirteen  on  schools  for  the  Jews. 

XL  Education  of  teachers.  Twenty  edicts,  from  September,  1818,  to 
August,  1833,  namely: 

1.  Seven  on  instruction  in  and  out  of  the  seminary. 

2.  Five  on  the  personal  rights  and  obligations  of  the  students. 

3.  Six  on  the  military  duty  of  the  students. 

4.  Two  on  associations  of  teachers. 

It  is  by  a  persevering,  steady,  determined  series  of  efforts,  carried  through 
a  long  course  of  years,  that  the  Prussian  government  has  attained  to  a  school 
system  of  such  excellence  and  perfection.  When  Frederick  William  III.  as- 
cended the  throne  in  1797,  the  Prussian  system  was  no  better  than  the 
Scotch  system,  or  the  New  England  system,  if  it  were  not  indeed  altogether 
inferior  to  these ;  and  it  is  only  by  forty  years  of  hard  work,  forty  years  of 
intense  labor  directed  to  this  very  point,  that  this  noble  system  has  been 
completed,  which  is  now  attractingjthe  admiration  and  provoking  the  emu- 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  63 

lous  zeal  of  the  whole  civilized  world.  Nor  do  the  Prussians  yet  consider 
their  system  as  perfect,  but  are  still  laboring  as  zealously  for  improvement 
as  they  were  thirty  years  ago.  Let  not  the  government  of  Ohio,  then,  be 
discouraged,  because  the  very  slight  degree  of  attention  which  they  have 
for  a  very  short  time  given  to  this  subject,  has  not  set  them  at  once  on  the 
pinnacle  of  perfection.  I  hope  the  Legislature  will  continue,  at  least  for  a 
half  century  to  come,  to  make  this  one  of  their  chief  objects  of  attention. 


(B) 
QUERIES    ON    EDUCATION. 

The  following  inquiries,  with  some  others  not  here  included,  were  made 
out  by  a  committee  of  the  Association  of  Teachers  in  Hamilton  county.  1 
obtained  the  answers  during  my  tour  in  Europe,  from  Mr.  Wood  of  the 
Sessional  School  in  Edinburg,  Scotland,  Rev.  Mr.  Kunze  of  the  Frederick 
Orphan  House,  in  Berlin,  Prussia,  and  Professor  Schwartz  of  the  University 
of  Heidelberg,  in  Baden.  As  I  received  the  answers  orally  and  in  different 
languages,  I  cannot  pretend  to  give  them  with  verbal  accuracy  ;  but  I  have 
endeavored  in  every  instance  to  make  a  faithful  representation  of  the  senti- 
ment. 

1.  What  is  the  best  method  of  inculcating  moral  and  religious  duty  in 
schools  ? 

Mr.  Wood.  Every  morning  I  have  recitations  in  the  Bible,  accompanied 
with  such  brief  and  pertinent  remarks  as  naturally  occur  in  connection  with 
the  recitation. 

Mr.  Kunze.  In  Prussia  the  scholars  are  all  taught  Luther's  Smaller  Cate- 
chism ;  they  have  a  daily  recitation  in  the  Bible,  beginning  with  the  histori- 
cal portions ;  the  schools  are  always  opened  and  closed  with  prayer,  and  the 
singing  of  some  religious  hymns.  The  Bible  and  Psalm-book  are  the  first 
books  which  are  put  into  the  hands  of  the  child,  and  they  are  his  constant 
companions  through  the  whole  course  of  his  education,  and  required  to  be 
such  through  life. 

Professor  Schwartz,  Every  teacher  should  have  a  religious  spirit,  and  by 
his  personal  influence,  diffuse  it  among  his  pupils.  The  religious  and  moral 
instruction  in  the  schools  of  Baden  is  similar  to  that  in  Prussia,  as  stated  by 
Mr.  Kunze. 

2.  What  is  the  best  mode  of  using  the  Bible  in  schools  ? 

Mr.  W.  Take  the  whole  Bible  just  as  it  is  in  our  translation ;  for  the 
younger  children,  select  the  easier  historical  portions,  and  go  through  with 
it  as  the  scholars  advance. 


64  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.         March, 

Mr.  K.  In  Prussia  we  have  tried  all  sorts  of  ways,  by  extracts,  by  new 
translations,  by  commentaries,  written  expressly  for  schools ;  but  after  all 
those  trials,  there  is  now  but  one  opinion  among  all  acquainted  with  the 
subject,  and  that  is,  that  the  whole  Bible,  just  as  it  stands  in  the  transla- 
tions in  common  use,  should  be  a  reading  and  recitation  book  in  all  the 
schools.  In  the  Protestant  schools,  Luther's  translation  is  used,  and  in  the 
Catholic  schools,  the  translation  approved  by  that  church.  The  children 
are  required  not  merely  to  repeat  the  words  of  the  translation  by  rote,  but 
to  give  a  good  exhibition  of  the  real  sentiment  in  their  own  language. 
Prof.  S.  Answer  similar  to  Mr.  Kunze's  above. 

3.  Method  of  governing  schools — moral  influence — rewards  of  merit — 
emulation — corporeal  punishment  ? 

Mr.  W.  I  use  all  the  purely  moral  influence  I  can  ;  but  rewards  for  the 
meritorious  are  highly  necessary ;  and  as  to  the  principle  of  emulation,  I  ap- 
peal to  it  more  and  more  the  longer  I  teach.  The  evils  of  emulation,  such 
as  producing  discouragement  or  exciting  envy  in  the  less  successful  schol- 
ars, I  avoid  by  equalizing  the  classes  as  much  as  possible,  so  that  all  the 
scholars  of  each  class,  may,  as  to  their  capabilities  of  improvement,  be  nearly 
on  a  level.  I  know  no  successful  school  for  young  scholars  where  coporeal 
punishment  is  disused.  The  teacher  must  retain  it  as  a  last  resort 

Mr.  K.  The  Bible,  prayers,  and  singing,  are  most  essential  helps  to  the 
consistent  teacher  in  governing  his  scholars  ;  but  premiums,  emulation,  and 
corporeal  punishment,  have  hitherto  been  found  indispensable  auxiliaries. 
In  our  schools  we  have  premiums  of  books,  and  in  the  orphan  house  there 
is  a  prize  of  fifty  dollars  annually  awarded  to  each  of  the  most  meritorious 
scholars,  which  is  allowed  to  accumulate  in  the  savings  bank  till  the  pupil 
comes  of  age,  when  it  is  given  to  him  to  aid  in  establishing  him  in  business. 
Each  teacher  keeps  a  journal,  divided  under  different  heads,  of  all  the  de- 
linquencies of  his  scholars,  and  if  any  one  has  six  in  a  month,  he  must  suf- 
fer corporeal  punishment.  The  instrument  of  punishment  is  a  cow-skin  ; 
but  no  teacher  is  allowed  to  inflict  more  than  four  blows  at  any  one  time, 
or  for  any  offence.  This  kind  of  punishment  is  not  often  needed.  Of  the 
380  boys  in  the  orphan  house  not  more  than  two  in  a  month  render  them- 
selves liable  to  it.  After  the  scholar  enters  the  gymnasium,  he  is  no  longer 
liable  to  corporeal  punishment ;  but  in  all  the  schools  below  this,  it  is  held 
in  reserve  as  the  last  resort. 

Prof.  S.  I  do  not  approve  of  rewards  as  a  means  of  discipline.  Emula- 
tion may  be  appealed  to  a  little  ;  but  much  of  it  is  not  good,  it  is  so  liable  to 
call  forth  bitter  and  unholy  feeling.  The  skilful  teacher,  who  gains  the  con- 
fidence and  affection  of  his  scholars,  can  govern  without  emulation  or  re- 
wards, and  with  very  little  of  corporeal  punishment.  In  a  school  in  Heidel- 
berg of  150  children  under  ten  years  of  age,  not  two  in  a  year  suffer  this 
kind  of  punishment  In  Baden  the  teacher  is  not  allowed  to  strike  a  scholar 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  65 

without  obtaining  permission  of  the  school  inspector,  and  in  this  way  all 
hasty  and  vindictive  punishments  are  prevented.  The  daily  singing  of  re- 
ligious hymns  is  one  of  the  most  efficient  means  of  bringing  a  school  under 
a  perfect  discipline  by  moral  influence. 

4.  What  is  generally  the  best  method  of  teaching  ? 

Mr.  W.  As  much  as  possible  by  conversation ;  as  little  as  may  be  by  mere 
book  recitation.  The  pupil  must  always  learn  from  the  book. 

Mr.  K  Lively  conversation.  Very  few  teachers  in  Prussia  ever  use  a 
book  in  recitation.  The  pupils  study  from  books,  and  recite  without  them. 

Prof.  S.    The  living  word  in  preference  to  the  dead  letter. 

5.  Employment  of  female  teachers  ? 

Mr.  W.  For  young  children  they  do  well ;  and  if  good  female  teachers 
can  be  obtained,  they  might  perhaps  carry  female  education  through  without 
the  help  of  male  teachers. 

Mr.  K.  Female  teachers  have  not  been  much  employed  in  Prussia,  they 
are  not  generally  successful.  In  a  few  instances  they  have  done  well. 

Prof.  S.  Man  is  the  divinely  appointed  teacher ;  but  for  small  children 
female  teachers  do  well ;  and  in  respect  to  all  that  pertains  to  the  heart  and 
the  fingers  they  are  even  better  than  male  teachers.  It  is  not  good  that  fe- 
males should  be  educated  entirely  by  teachers  of  their  own  sex ;  the  female 
cannot  be  educated  completely  without  the  countenance  of  man  to  work 
upon  the  heart. 

6.  Is  there  any  difference  in  the  course  of  instruction  for  male  and  female 
schools  ? 

Mr.  K.  None  in  the  primary  schools  ?  but  in  the  higher  schools  the  course 
of  instruction  for  males  is  more  rigidly  scientific  than  for  females ;  and  some 
branches  of  study  are  appropriate  to  the  one  class  of  schools  which  do  not 
at  all  come  into  the  other,  and  vice  versa. 

7.  Public  endowments  for  female  schools  of  a  high  order  ? 
Mr.  W.     There  are  no  such  endowments  in  Scotland. 

Mr.  K.  There  are  very  few  in  Prussia :  only  one  in  Berlin,  but  that  a  very 
good  one.  Female  schools  of  a  high  order  are  mostly  sustained  by  individ- 
ual effort,  under  the  supervision  of  the  magistrates,  but  without  aid  from 
the  Government. 

Prof.  S.  We  have  none  in  Baden,  nor  are  they  needed  for  the  female. 
The  house  is  her  school ;  and  such  are  her  susceptibilities,  and  her  quick- 
ness of  apprehension,  that  she  is  fitted  by  Providence  to  learn  from  real  life ; 
and  she  often  learns  thus,  more  successfully  than  boys  can  be  taught  in  the 
school. 

8.  Number  of  studies  to  be  pursued  simultaneously  in  the  different 
stages  of  instruction. 

Mr.  W.     I  begin  with  reading  and  writing  (on  slates)  together,  and  as  the 
scholars  advance,  increase  the  number  of  branches. 
9 


66  PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.         March, 

Mr.  K.  We  begin  all  together,  reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  grammar,  &c., 
and  so  continue  throughout 

Prof.  S.    The  younger  the  fewer,  the  older  the  more. 

9.  Infant  Schools  ? 

Mr.  W.  For  children  who  are  neglected  by  their  parents,  for  poor  or- 
phans, and  such  like,  they  are  excellent,  but  parents  who  are  able  to  take 
care  of  their  own  children,  ought  to  do  it,  and  not  send  them  to  the  infant 
school. 

Mr.  K.  1  regard  them  as  highly  useful  for  all  classes  of  children,  the  rich 
and  the  poor,  the  good  and  the  bad ;  but  the  Prussian  Government  discour- 
ages them,  except  for  the  vicious  and  the  neglected.  The  King  admits  them 
only  where  parental  instruction  cannot  be  had. 

Prof.  S.  Highly  useful,  and  very  much  increasing  in  Europe.  In  Italy, 
particularly  in  Lombardy,  they  are  fast  gaining  ground  under  the  care  of  truly 
Christian  teachers. 

10.  The  Pestalozzian  system  ? 

Mr.  W.  It  has  many  good  things,  with  some  quackery.  As  a  whole,  it  is 
too  formal. 

Mr.  K.  In  Prussia,  not  approved  as  a  whole  and  in  arithmetic  entirely 
disused. 

Prof.  S.  One  of  the  steps  by  which  we  arrived  at  our  present  stage  of  ad- 
vancement ;  but  we  have  got  beyond  it  now. 

11.  Number  of  pupils  to  one  teacher  in  the  different  stages  of  instruction  ? 
Mr.  W.    In  the  elementary  stages,  if  the  teacher  has  good  monitors,*  he 

may  safely  take  charge  of  from  100  to  600  pupils ;  as  they  advance,  he  must 
diminish  the  number,  but  only  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  good 
monitors  in  the  higher  branches. 

Mr.  K.  In  Prussia,  generally  about  40  in  the  elementary  branches,  and  in 
the  higher  branches  fewer. 

Prof.  S.  In  Baden  the  maximum  is  80,  on  account  of  the  difficulty,  in 
that  populous  district,  of  maintaining  a  sufficient  number  of  schoolmasters 
for  the  whole  population.  As  the  scholars  advance,  the  number  is  diminished. 

12.  Systematic  division  of  the  different  branches  of  instruction  in  schools  ? 
Mr,  w. 

Mr.  K.  The  schools  in  Prussia  are  all  divided  according  to  the  different 
branches,  and  each  branch  has  its  own  teacher. 

Prof.  S.  Not  good  to  attempt  a  systematic  division  in  the  elementary 
schools,  but  very  useful  for  the  higher  schools.  Young  children  need  to  be 
brought  under  the  influence  of  one  teacher,  and  not  have  their  attention  and 
affection  divided  among  many. 

13.  Mode  of  instructing  those  who  are  preparing  themselves  to  be 
teachers  ? 

*  Monitors,  in  Mr.  Wood's  school,  occupy  (he  place  of  assistant  tcachpro,  and  each  class  has  its 
monitor. 


1838.  HOUSE— No.  64.  67 

Mr.  W.  Employ  them  as  monitors  under  a  good  teacher,  with  some  theo- 
retical instruction.  This  is  matter  of  opinion,  not  of  experience;  for  we 
have  in  Scotland  no  institutions  for  the  preparation  of  teachers. 

Mr.  K.  In  the  seminaries  for  teachers,  there  are  lectures  on  the  theory  of 
education,  mode  of  teaching,  &c. ;  but  the  pupils  are  taught  principally  by 
practical  exercises  in  teaching  the  scholars  of  the  model  schools  attached  to 
these  institutions,  and  they  also  labor  to  perfect  themselves  in  the  branches 
they  are  to  teach. 

Prof.  S.  The  general  principles  of  method  may  be  communicated  in  lec- 
tures, but  schools  for  actual  practical  exercise  in  teaching  are  indispensable. 
They  must  also  become  perfectly  familiar  with  the  branches  they  are  to 
teach. 

14.  Estimation  in  which  the  teacher  is  held,  and  his  income  in  propor- 
tion to  that  of  the  other  professions  ? 

Mr.  W.  With  us,  rising,  in  both  respects,  but  as  yet  far  below  the  other 
professions. 

Mr.  K.  In  Prussia,  the  elementary  teachers  are  highly  respected  and 
competently  maintained ;  they  rank  as  the  better  sort  of  mechanics,  and 
the  head  teachers  rank  next  to  clergymen.  The  salary  low — that  of  the 
subordinate  teachers,  very  low. 

Prof.  S.  With  us,  the  worthy  teacher  holds  a  respectable  rank,  and 
can  sit  at  table  with  noblemen.  The  salary  has  recently  been  raised,  but 
it  is  still  below  that  of  the  clergyman. 

15.  Subordination  among  teachers  ? 

Mr.  W.    Very  desirable,  but  exceedingly  difficult  to  carry  it  to  any  extent. 
Mr.  K.    As  strict  subordination  among  the  teachers  of  the  school,  as 
among  the  officers  of  the  army. 

Prof.  S.     Strict  subordination  must  be  maintained. 

16.  Mode  of  securing  punctual  and  universal  attendance  of  scholars 
till  the  full  round  of  instruction  is  completed? 

Mr.   W.     By  acting  on  the  parents. 

Mr.  K.  By  strict  laws,  rigorously  executed. 

Prof.  S.     By  law. 

17.  Control  of  teachers  over  their  scholars  out  of  school  hours  ? 

Mr.  W.  The  laws  of  the  school  are  never  to  be  violated,  even  out  of 
school  hours.  Difficult  to  carry  it  any  further. 

Mr.  K.  The  teacher  has  the  control,  so  far  as  he  can  get  it.  Government 
sustains  him  in  it. 

Prof.  S.  In  all  that  relates  to  the  school,  the  teacher  must,  have  the  con- 
trol out  of  school  hours. 

18.  How  are  schools  affected  by  political  changes  in  the  administration 
of  the  government  ? 

Mr.  W.    We  have  had  fears,  but  as  yet  have  suffered  no  actual  evil. 
Mr.  K.     We  have  no  changes  ia  Prussia. 


68     PROFESSOR  STOWE'S  REPORT.    Mar.  '38. 

Prof.  S.  The  school  must  remain  sacred  and  inviolate,  untroubled  by  po- 
litical changes. 

19.  School  apparatus  and  library  ? 

Mr.  W.    Very  desirable,  but  little  done  that  way,  as  yet,  in  Scotland. 

Me.  K.  Most  of  our  schools  are  provided  with  them,  and  we  consider 
them  very  important. 

Prof.  S.  The  teachers  must  have  access  to  good  books ;  and  if  they  are 
industrious  and  skilful,  the  pupils  will  not  suffer  for  want  of  a  library. 

20.  How  can  accuracy  of  teaching  be  secured  ? 
Mr.  W.    Every  thing  depends  on  the  teacher. 

Mr.  K.     Very  accurate  in  Prussia ;  the  Government  will  have  it  so. 

Prof.  S.  The  teacher  must  understand  his  profession,  and  devote  himself  to  it. 

21.  Governmental  supervision  of  schools,  and  mode  of  securing  respon- 
sibility in  the  supervisors  ? 

Mr.  W.  I  cannot  tell.  In  this  country  it  is  very  inefficient,  as  it  must  be, 
unless  the  visitors  receive  pay  for  their  services. 

Mr.  K.  In  this  country  the  governmental  supervision  is  very  strict,  and 
produces  a  very  happy  influence.  The  supervisors  are  paid  for  their  work, 
and  oblidged  to  attend  to  it.  Responsibility  is  secured  by  requiring  minute 
and  accurate  periodical  reports,  and  by  a  special  visitation  as  often  as  once 
in  three  years. 

Prof.  S.  The  supervisors  must  be  paid ;  there  must  be  strict  subordina- 
tion, accurate  returns,  and  special  visitations. 

22.  How  are  good  teachers  to  be  obtained  in  sufficient  numbers  ? 
Mr.  W.    I  cannot  tell.    It  is  difficult  here. 

Mr.  K.  By  means  of  our  teachers'  seminaries — we  have  them  in  abun- 
dance. 

Prof.  S.  By  teachers'  seminaries,  and  private  teaching,  we  have  enough. 
In  your  country  it  must  always  be  difficult  while  there  is  such  an  amount  of 
business  accessible  which  is  so  much  more  lucrative. 

23.  Extent  of  qualification  demanded  of  elementary  teachers  ? 
Mr.  W.    In  Scotland,  there  is  no  general  rule. 

Mr.  K.  Sf  Prof.  S.  In  Prussia  and  Baden,  the  demands  are  ample,  and 
rigidly  enforced. 

24.  Governmental  supervision  of  private  schools  ? 
Mr.  W.     Of  doubtful  expediency. 

Mr.  K.    Very  strict  in  Prussia,  and  altogether  beneficial  in  its  influence. 
Prof.  S.    Leave  the  private  schools  free,  but  regulate  them,  and  see  that 
the  teachers  do  their  duty. 

25.  Associations  of  teachers  ? 

Mr.  W.    Not  yet  introduced  in  Scotland,  but  very  desirable. 

Mr.  K.  Sf  Prof.  S.  Highly  useful,  and  demanded  and  regulated  by  the 
Government.  Written  essays  and  discussions,  and  mutual  communication 
of  experience,  the  business  of  these  Associations. 


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